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A Teacher’s Guide for:
Secondary Three Social Studies
Picture by Mr Lawrence Pang
Developed by Mr Edwin Fu, Mr Abdul Rahim and Mr Tan Han Xiong

Published by: NCHS Humanities Department
Nan Chiau High School (Secondary)
20 Anchorvale Link
Singapore 545079
© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

Preface
_____________________________________________
This kit covers the Social Studies Secondary Three Syllabus adequately.
This kit is able to correlate all available sources of material and arrange
them in a clear and logical presentation. Every part of the kit has been
carefully designed into a series of topics and skills. This is arranged for
the convenience of reference. Occasionally, topics and skills do overlap
but this is done deliberately because it is only logical that topics and
skills are not being studied in isolation. Students who lose their direction
in a maze of books and notes would be able to focus their attention more
specifically. However, in any case, the aim of this kit is not to be seen as
a textbook but rather as a supplement and guide for all.
Every NCzens possesses an analytical and inquisitive mind to appreciate the world
and be a responsible global citizen.
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SECTIONS PAGE
A INQUIRY QUESTIONS 4
B ISSUE 1: EXPLORING CITIZENSHIP 6

AND GOVERNANCE
C ISSUE 2: LIVING IN A DIVERSE 20

SOCIETY
CONTENTS
D SOURCE-BASED QUESTION 45
E STRUCTURED-RESPONSE QUESTION 76
F PERFORMANCE TASK 79
G PRACTICE ASSIGNMENTS 84
H BIBLIOGRAPHY 100
To establish NCHS Humanities Department as a leader in creating and organising challenging and
robust programmes that promote the school values and mind-set for excellence.

A. INQUIRY QUESTIONS
Issue 1: Exploring Citizenship and Governance
Overarching Inquiry Question: Working for the Good of Society: Whose

Responsibility is it?
This issue seeks to deepen your understanding of your role as a citizen and the role of the
government. In a complex world, understanding your role as a citizen will influence how you
respond to various situations. Through this issue, you will explore what it means to be a
citizen of your country, how we decide what is good for society and how we can work for the
good of society.
In examining this issue, you will better understand the complexity of citizenship and that
different groups of people in society have competing needs and interests. Managing these
needs and interests will require trade-offs. You will also understand that both citizens and
government can play complementary roles in working for the good of society. Through the
process, you will develop a greater appreciation of the role you play as a citizen in society.
Your understanding of citizenship will shape the way you play your role as citizens. If you
think of citizenship as simply a legal status, you may focus on your rights only. However, you
may feel strongly about similar things as fellow citizens if you think of citizenship as having a
sense of national identity. Alternatively, if you think of citizenship as a relationship between
citizens and the government, you may see that as members of the same community, citizens
have a responsibility of working for the good of society. You will thus contribute to and
participate in matters that affect society, such as helping others or taking the lead in
promoting a certain cause with a proposed strategy.
Through exploring this issue in the first three chapters, you will understand different
perspective to, and develop a reasoned conclusion for the question of who should be
responsible for working for the good society.
Tutorial Questions:
1. What does it mean for me to be a citizen of my country?
2. How do we decide what is good for society?
3. How can we work for the good of society?

Issue 2: Living in a Diverse Society
Overarching Inquiry Question: Is Harmony Achievable?
A diverse society is shaped by the interactions between individuals and communities with
different identities, beliefs and values. What the effects of interacting in a diverse society?
Can harmony be achieved in societies that have become increasingly diverse due to
globalisation? What are the responses that affect experiences living in diverse societies and
how can you respond and contribute towards harmony? Questions like these have become
more common and challenging to answer with time.
In examining this issue, we will explore the different factors shaping diversity in society. We
will also find out how Singapore has grown as a diverse society. Through examining the
experiences and effects that come with living in a diverse society, you will understand the
impacts of different responses as people of different nationality, race and ethnicity, religion
and socio-economic status interact. Subsequently, we will look at the role of the
governments in responding to the opportunities and challenges in diverse societies and how
these shape harmony in society.
Tutorial Question:
1. What is diversity?
2. Why is there greater diversity in Singapore now?
3. What are the experiences and effects of living in a diverse society?
4. How can we respond in a diverse society?

B. ISSUE 1: EXPLORING CITIZENSHIP AND GOVERNANCE
Chapter 1: What does it mean to be a citizen of my Country?
To be a citizen of a country is similar to being a member of a certain organisation

(e.g: clubs and CCA). As a member, you are entitled certain rights, but at the same
time, you are expected to contribute and hold certain responsibilities to the
organisation. As a result, the key tenet of citizenship is individuals holding both rights
and responsibilities in a country. What then, are the rights and responsibilities that a
Singaporean hold?
1.1 Rights of citizens
The rights that Singaporeans hold includes:

- Access to public education
- Access to public housing
- Access to public healthcare services
- Freedom to practise religion
- Having political suffrage (Right to vote at elections)
- Protected by the civil and national defence systems
Rights of citizens
 Singapore has clearly stated and follows strictly equal opportunities for citizens of
all races and religions.
 While citizens value their rights, they should also consider the sensitivities and
safety of others when exercising their rights.
 Rights of citizens are stated in the Constitution of Singapore, which helps
citizens to be protected by the law. For example, the Education Bill passed on
2000 makes it a requirement for every Singaporean child to attend a national
primary school, regardless of religion and race.
 The Constitution of Singapore came into effect with our independence on 9
August 1965.
The constitution:
– States the functions and limit the authoritative powers of the 3 branches of
government: 1) the Legislature; 2) the Executive; 3) the Judiciary
– States the basic rights of citizens such as freedom of speech and freedom of
religion
– Protects the rights of minority races by stating that the majority race cannot pass
laws to discriminate the minority races.

1.2 Responsibilities of citizens
The responsibilities that are required of Singaporeans includes:

- Paying taxes
- Working for the benefit of the country’s economy
- Voting for the interests of self & country
- Keeping to laws and regulations
- Defending the country’s sovereignty
Responsibilities of citizens
 Different countries emphasise different responsibilities by the citizens. For

example, in the USA, citizens are expected to perform jury duty when called upon
while in Canada, all citizens are expected to be environmentally conscious by
reducing waste and pollution.
 In Singapore, all citizens are expected to contribute towards continued peace and
prosperity of the nation. Maintaining harmony is a key responsibility of all
Singaporeans.
How does one become a citizen in Singapore?
 By descent
 By country of birth
 By marriage
 By naturalisation (after gaining permanent resident (PR) status)

1.3 Citizenship shaped by identity and participation
Citizenship does not only come from legal status (de jure citizenship), but also
arguably from having a common identity as well as active civil and political
participation (de facto citizenship).
a. Identity
 A common national identity can arise when all citizens, irrespective of their
race or religion, have shared beliefs and common practices.
 In Singapore, singing the National Anthem, reciting the National Pledge and
taking part in events such as National Day celebrations ties as together and
offer us platforms to identify with. Beyond common practices, Singapore being
associated as a food haven contributes to citizens identifying as Singaporeans.
 Having a shared identity is important because it will lead to social cohesion
and harmony, despite racial and religious heterogeneity in the country.
b. Participation
 People can also attain de facto citizenship by participating in public activities
and helping fellow citizens.
 Citizens can contribute towards the betterment of society either as individuals
or as groups. Citizens can contribute in areas they are passionate about, such
as helping the less fortunate or raising environmental consciousness.
 Citizens can also exercise their rights (such as freedom of speech) in bids to
express their socio-political views, through participation in mass public events
such as social movements and protests.
1.4 Conclusion: Defining citizenship
Different people have different views on defining citizenship. Some argue solely for
legal status (de jure citizenship) while others emphasize on common identities and
the rights for social, political and civil participation (de facto citizenship). All these
aspects of citizenship are important and interconnected. Without legal status, an
individual will not have explicit rights which makes it hard for them to participate in
civil or political events. On the other hand, without a sense of common identity, there
will be no pride in being a citizen, leading them to have a tendency to not fulfil basic
responsibilities as citizens (such as defending the country’s sovereignty). Without the
legal status of citizenship, like refugees, would find it difficult to integrate and enjoy
national rights of formal education.
Nevertheless, the three key attributes of citizenship can be understood to be legal

status, common identity and public participation.

Chapter 2: How do we decide what is good for society?
Challenges arise when we are deciding what is good for society because individuals
have different needs and interests. The government has the duty to take all the
needs and interests of people into consideration and then decide what is good for
society as a whole.
2.1 Challenges in deciding what is good for society
2.1.1 Differing needs and interests
 Societies generally can reach a consensus on basic needs such as food, water
and shelter.
 Differences arise due to differing needs by a diverse population. For example,
the needs of car owners are quite different from the needs of those who take
MRT trains. Car owners would want the government to focus on improving
road networks while those taking the MRT would want the government to focus
on ensuring less crowded trains by having more trains during peak periods.
 Given the limited resources the government has, it has to decide on how best
to allocate resources for the greater good of society.
2.1.2 Differing priorities
 Citizens may also have disagreements on priorities. For example, although

everyone may agree on the need to improve education and healthcare, the
disagreements may arise over priority.
 For example, while parents with school-going children would want the
government to invest more on education while senior citizens would want the
government to invest more on healthcare.
2.1.3 Unequal sharing of costs
 Another challenge for the government is deciding who should bear the costs,
as some people will be affected more than others.
 For example, expressways and MRT lines need to be built to improve transport
infrastructure but this will result in noise and dust for those whose homes are
in proximity. These people will have to bear the costs while others would
benefit from the improvements.
 The Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) syndrome describes how people would
generally welcome improvements but they do not want the inconveniences
associated with the improvements.
 Trying to deal with the NIMBY syndrome is particularly challenging in a country
such as Singapore, due to its limited land size.
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2.2 How does the government manage conflicting demands?
2.2.1 Understanding trade-offs
 A trade-off is a situation in which we must choose between or balance two

things that are opposite as they cannot be had at the same time.
 Due to limited resources, there might be a tendency by governments to
prioritise the needs and interests of the majority over those of the minority.
 For example, in Singapore, we only have a small land mass of about 719.1
km2, as compared to China which is of 9,596,961 km2. As such, land usage
planning in Singapore are always full of trade-offs. When the government saw
the need to build the Thomson-East Coast MRT line, it had to abandon its
plans to build commercial and residential buildings on the parcels of land along
this route. This trade-off was considered necessary as the MRT line would
benefit many people on a daily basis when it opens gradually from 2019
onwards.
2.2.2 Decision-making in a Representative Democracy
Democracy is a self-governing system by the people for the people. In a

representative democracy, the citizens elect representatives in the government to
represent them. These representatives have the political legitimacy to make
decisions on behalf of the citizens, especially in cases when there are conflicting
interests and demands. Governments make laws (rule-making), implement laws (rule
execution) and interpret and apply laws (rule adjudication). Singapore, like all other
representative democracies, has three organs of state- the Legislature, the
Executive and the Judiciary.
a. The Legislature
 The Legislature comprises the President and Parliament. The parliament
comprises the Speaker of Parliament, the Prime Minister, Ministers and
elected, non-constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) and nominated
Members of Parliament (NMPs).
 When Bills are proposed by MPs, the Bills are debated extensively in
Parliament to decide if they can be passed and become laws.
 These Bills must be approved by the Presidential Council for Minority
Rights (PCMR), which ensures that no laws passed in Parliament are
discriminatory
 Once the PCMR gives its approval, the proposed Bills are sent to the
President, and with his assent, the Bills become laws.
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Functions of Parliament
– The first function of Parliament is to debate and pass laws.
– The second function is to ensure that the government spends the nation’s
finances prudently.
– The third function is to serve as the Committee of Supply. The various
Ministries will present their budgets and the MPs have the right to question the
various ministers on their proposed expenditures. Parliament’s approval is
needed for the various ministries to receive their annual funds.
b. The Executive
 The Executive comprises the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers and the
Ministers-in-charge of the various 16 Ministries.
 The Executive prepares government policies and oversees the day-to-day
administration of the country.
 The Ministers are responsible for planning and implementing government
policies.
c. The Judiciary
 The Judiciary comprises the Supreme Court, State Courts and Family Justice
Courts. Judicial power in Singapore is vested in the Supreme Court and the
laws made by the Legislature are interpreted and applied by the Judiciary.
 The head of the Judiciary is the Chief Justice.
 The role of the Judiciary is to ensure that the government follows the
Constitution and the state’s laws, imposing appropriate judgements on anyone
who breaks the laws.
2.2.3 Managing conflicting demands
Decision making is not done by one man or the Executive alone. The Executive
needs the Legislature to approve their decisions; the Executive also needs the
Judiciary to ensure that the decisions are made within the Constitution and the
state’s laws. The government thus manages conflicting demands by making trade-
offs and distributing powers to the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary to maintain
checks and balances.
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2.3 Ideas Shaping Governance
2.3.1 Having good leadership
 Government leaders should be honest and capable. They must have moral
courage and integrity to do what is right, such as making decisions that may not
be popular with the people.
 Leaders must also have the right moral values and not succumb to corruption.
Corrupt leaders will make decisions that benefit themselves and not the country;
hence, incorruptible leaders are needed for the well-being of everyone in the
country.
 Singapore expects all its ministers and MPs to have the right values. They will be
removed from their positions if they are found inefficient or lacking in integrity.
They will also be brought to justice if they break any laws. Politicians are not
above the law in Singapore.
2.3.2 Anticipating change and staying relevant
 Although some policies may affect people in the short-term, the government must
be able to look at the long-term benefits of their policies. Indeed, it is important for
the government to be forward-looking and have good foresight as they must also
consider the long-term survival of Singapore
 For example, the government faced a difficult choice when it came to building the
Integrated Resorts (IRs) at Marina Bay and Sentosa as casinos were part of
these resorts. Social costs had to be weighed against the economic benefits
these IRs would bring. As the IRs would bring jobs and high tourist spending and
that the revenue gained could be used for the benefit of society, the government
went ahead and approved the IRs. To deal with the potential social costs, the
government established the National Council of Problem Gambling to educate
the public on the dangers of gambling as well as provide counselling services to
compulsive gamblers and their family members.
2.3.3 Providing a stake for everyone
 When citizens have a say in the decision-making process, they can develop a
sense of belonging in the country. The government has thus created many
opportunities to allow citizens to share their views.
 For example, Our Singapore Conversation was a year-long effort to get as many
Singaporeans as possible to share their views on how to make our country a
better place for everyone to live in.
 The Public Housing Scheme (PHS) also plays an important role in getting
Singaporeans to have a greater sense of belonging to Singapore. This scheme
has enabled many Singaporeans to own their homes through housing grants
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given by the government, and through their CPF. Having home ownership
contributes to the citizens’ sense of belonging in the country.
2.3.4 Practising meritocracy
 Meritocracy refers to rewarding people according to their efforts and ability

instead of their race, religion or socio-economic backgrounds. Singapore
practices meritocracy, which is one of the factors for Singapore’s success, as
people are rewarded based on their abilities and efforts.
 In schools, the Edusave Scholarship and Merit Bursary schemes are examples of
how students are rewarded based on meritocracy.
 However, meritocracy may result in some groups of people benefiting more than
other groups over time because economically-advantaged families might be more
able to give a better headstart to their children than those families which are
disadvantaged.
 The government thus encourages compassionate meritocracy, whereby the
privileged contribute to help the less privileged.
 There is also a need to not associate meritocracy with academic results only.
Meritocracy should be relevant throughout different stages and aspects of our
lives.
2.4 Conclusion
Governance of a country is not easy as people have varying needs and interests;
hence, the government cannot possibly meet every individual’s needs and interests.
In representative democracies like Singapore, the government is elected by the
people to make important decisions for them. Additional challenges for the
government include the small land size of Singapore and limited financial and other
resources. The four ideas shaping governance help the government in making
decisions that benefit the country and the majority of citizens.
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Chapter 3: How can we work for the good of society?
As the elected group of leaders of the country, the government has the right to
decide what is good for society. Citizens, either as individuals or as communities,
can work with the government for the good of society.
3.1 Role of government in working for the good of society
3.1.1 Maintaining internal order and external security
a. Internal Order
 The role of maintaining internal order comes under the purview of the Ministry
of Home Affairs (MHA). There are many governmental agencies under the MHA
to maintain internal order:
– The Singapore Police Force (SPF) protects people who live in Singapore
from crime and criminal harm, which includes terrorism and public disorder.
– The Internal Security Department (ISD) counters all threats to Singapore
through intelligence gathering and enforcing action against those who are
security threats to Singapore.
– The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) provides fire-fighting, rescue and
emergency medical services. It is responsible for fire safety and civil defence
matters.
– The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) ensures that Singapore is drug-free by
enforcing laws to prevent and stop drug-related activities.
– The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) protects Singapore’s
borders by preventing undesirable people and goods from entering Singapore.
The ICA issues identity cards and passports to citizens and immigration
passes and permits to foreigners. The ICA also enforces action against
immigration offenders.
– The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) looks after offenders in jail. It prevents
the offenders from escaping from prison as well as ensuring their rehabilitation.
– The Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) ensures that the casinos in
Singapore are run honestly and do not come under the influence of gangs.
b. External Security
 The role of maintaining external security comes under the purview of the Ministry
of Defence (MINDEF) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
 The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is managed by MINDEF and its main task is
to deter aggression. If this deterrence fails, then its task is to engage in war to
protect the country’s sovereignty. The SAF comprises the Singapore Army, the
Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the Republic of Singapore Air Force
(RSAF). The Army trains its soldiers to protect Singapore from threats from land.
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The RSN does the same with threats from the sea, and the RSAF takes care of
threats from the sky.
 The MFA formulates and implements policies to protect and advance Signapore’s
national interests. The MFA establishes good relations with other countries at
bilateral and multi-lateral levels. Through the Singapore Cooperation Programme,
Singapore provides assistance in different forms to other countries to help them
as well as earn their goodwill.
 The MFA also provides assistance to Singaporeans who may be in trouble
overseas. This includes Singaporeans who are caught in natural disasters, such
as floods or earthquakes, overseas.
 The MFA practises diplomacy by working with international organisations like the
United Nations (UN). Singapore played a key role in the negotiations at the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea, which sought to protect maritime security of
countries.
 Singapore is also an active member of the regional organisation Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Singapore is one of the original founding
members of ASEAN, which was formed in 1967.
 In 1978, Singapore, as a member of ASEAN, defended Cambodia when it was
invaded by Vietnam. Singapore and Malaysia also resolved their dispute over the
island of Pedra Branca by bringing the territorial dispute to the International Court
of Justice. This was done in the spirit of ASEAN whose member countries have
agreed to resolve all disputes through diplomacy and not through war.
 Singapore also continues to play an active role in regional and international
conferences to protect the world from issues such as climate change.
3.1.2 Ensuring Justice

 Through the Judiciary, the government ensures that the laws are applied
correctly and independently to ensure that the people have confidence that the
law will be applied fairly to all.
 One example is by protecting individuals from family violence. If the court
concludes that an individual faces harm, it will grant the person a Personal
Protection Order (PPO). With the PPO, the individual will be protected by the
justice system, by preventing or restricting people from entering the applicant’s
house or part of the house.
3.1.3 Providing goods and services for the public

 The government devotes significant amount of its resources in meeting the
essential needs of the people.
 All citizens need access to goods and services for their well-being. The
government ensures that the goods are easily available and that service
standards remains high. The government also provides subsidies for those who
cannot afford essential goods and services.
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 One example of such services is public transportation. The government ensures
that the transportation network continues to improve to meet the needs of the
people through better connections and services.
 Another example is NEWater and desalinated water projects. These projects
reclaims fresh water that has been used or from seawater. Singapore aims for
NEWater to meet up to 55% of the country’s future water demand and
desalinated water to meet up to 25% of the country’s water demand by 2060, as
the second Water agreement with Johor, Malaysia will expire in 2061.
3.1.4 Safeguarding interests of citizens

 The government protects the interests of citizens in many ways.
 The WorkRight initiative defines the rights of workers so that they cannot be
abused by their employers. The initiative also defines the rights of employers.
 The government protects the people’s needs through the Central Provident Fund
(CPF) scheme. The CPF ensures that the people save up sufficient money for
their housing and healthcare needs and also serves as a source of income in
their retirement years.
 The life expectancy of Singaporeans increased from 60 in the 1950s to 82 in
2015 and continues to rise. As more and more Singaporeans are expected to live
into their 90s, the need to have more savings to last them throughout their long
lives has become more imperative.
 To meet this need, the government introduced CPF Life in 2009 so that
Singaporeans will have monthly payouts throughout their lives. The savings of
the individuals, the contributions from employers and the interest paid by the
government ensure that Singaporeans will have sufficient savings to last them
through their lives.
3.2 Role of Citizens in Society
3.2.1 Outcomes of Citizen participation
a. Contributing to the needs of society

 Individuals contribute through volunteering time, effort and money towards
causes they believe in to promote the well-being of society. These individuals
contribute mostly because they strongly believe in the cause that they are
supporting. These actions can also motivate others in society to contribute to the
needs of society. Citizens’ conviction and passion to help others will make
Singapore and the world a better place to live in. Areas where individuals can
contribute include the needy in Singapore, the needy in other countries, animal
welfare and environmental concerns.
 People with common interests can contribute as a group. This enables the people
to pool together their efforts, ideas and resources to be used for the good of the
society. Groups can be formal or informal. Formal groups are usually registered
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groups, which have specific objectives such as caring for children, animals or the
environment. Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Voluntary Welfare
Organisations (VWOs) are examples of formal groups.
 NGOs and VWOs cater to specific areas and they play a complementary role to
the government’s efforts to work for the good of society.
 Informal groups work with short-term objectives on issues that may arise
unexpectedly. These groups may not be registered and may even function on a
temporary basis only. When specific needs arise, these groups may be formed to
attend to these specific needs only. These informal groups also play a
complementary role to the government’s efforts to meet these specific needs.
b. Influencing governmental decisions
Role of Individuals
 Feedback from individuals can matter in the government’s decision-making
process. In 2012, the government initiated a national level conversation, known
as Our Singapore Conversation (OSC), to get citizens to share their views on
issues relating to Singapore. The OSC lasted more than a year and citizens from
all walks of life shared their views and gave valuable feedback to the
government. The OSC took place face-to-face as well as through social media.
The OSC enabled the government to understand better what Singaporeans
wanted and the exercise also enabled Singaporeans to understand other
Singaporeans’ hopes and aspirations.
 The OSC revealed, among other things, that Singaporeans wanted a society
rooted in values, better collaboration between government and citizens, and a
Singapore for Singaporeans. Singaporeans also wanted good jobs, broader
definitions of success and a shared identity. Singaporeans wanted their basic
needs to be accessible and affordable. They also wanted meaningful citizen
engagement and respect for every Singaporean’s dignity. Feedback from the
OSC was incorporated in the government’s future plans for Singapore.
Role of formal and organised groups

 For example, in 2011, two NGOs concerned about the welfare of domestic
workers in Singapore suggested in their report to the government that all
domestic workers in Singapore should be given a day off every week. This
suggestion was accepted by the government and was implemented in Singapore.
 The Singapore Environmental Council invited NGOs for its envisioning exercise
in 2014. The NGOs presented their views on Singapore’s environmental future.
There was consensus that Singapore’s clean environment should not be taken
for granted.
 The Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) is a VWO
that looks after the needs of the intellectual disabled in Singapore. Working
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together with the government, MINDS has worked hard for the intellectually
disabled to receive better education and become contributing citizens.
Role of informal groups

 Informal groups are organisations with a specific, short term objective related to
issues that arise suddenly. These groups are temporarily formed and may not be
registered. When certain situations occur and the need arises, informal groups
may organise themselves to attend to specific issues. By doing so, they
complement the support structures provided formally by organisations,
institutions and the government.
 For example, several ground-up initiatives were formed during the Haze period in
2013, such as a facebook page called ‘SG Haze rescue’ asking people for
excess masks and to distribute to people affected.
C. Strengthening citizens’ sense of belonging

 The government conducted the OSC to better understand Singaporeans’
aspirations for their country. This was done with the realisation that involving
citizens in determining their own future will result in the citizens developing a
stronger sense of attachment to Singapore.
 A citizen’s sense of belonging to Singapore can be affected if he/she feels that
the government is not listening to public feedback.
Channels to provide feedback

 The government understand the power of social media like Facebook and hence
tapped on it as one of the platforms to hear what the people had to say. The
government has its own portal, REACH (Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry
@ Home), a site where Singaporeans can go at any time to share their views and
provide feedback.
 Ministers and MPs are increasingly engaging citizens through their personal
social media accounts. Citizens can also provide feedback directly in the web
portals of governmental agencies.
3.3 Conclusion
Government decision making and policy formulation is a complex process as the

government has to consider feedback from the public, which are likely to be varied in
nature. It is important that citizens share their views in a responsible and constructive
manner as feedback presented to the government in this manner will be more useful
to the government in its decision-making process. Society has much to benefit from
public feedback to the government. The government and citizens play
complementary roles in working together for the good of the people. The decisions
made by government, with public feedback, may not satisfy all, and can lead to new
challenges for the government. Citizens today are better educated, and thus demand
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for more inclusiveness in policy-making processes, generating new forms of
relationships and interactions between the government and citizens. At the same
time, government too values feedback from the public as challenges facing the
country have become more complex.
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D. ISSUE 2: LIVING IN A DIVERSE SOCIETY
Chapter 4: What is Diversity?
Singapore is a society made up of different nationalities, races, ethnicities, religions

and socio-economic status and thus is very diverse. Nationality, race, religion and
socio-economic status play important roles in shaping our identities. In multiracial,
multi-religious countries like Singapore, sociocultural diversity is indeed inevitable.
There is also diversity based on socio-economic levels as people receive different
incomes. Identities tend to be multi-faceted and subject to influences as we interact
with each other in a diverse society, and thus identities are continuously in flux and
are not stagnant. The dynamism of a diverse society thus means that people have to
work towards maintaining harmony.
4.1 Nationality
 Nationality is the status of belonging to a particular nation. It comes through legal

status and also through having a sense of belonging to a nation and sharing
common experiences with other people of the same nationality. People of the
same nationality usually share a common history, traditions and practices and
live together in one geographical area. Having a shared identity helps to define
citizenship. This sense of shared identity is national identity.
 A public display of Singapore’s nationality can be seen annually on 9 August as
we come together to celebrate National Day in order to commemorate our
independence. The Singaporean nationality can also be seen in our acceptance
and respect for our multiracial and multicultural practices and also in our love for
food across all cultures. Most Singaporeans are also bilingual: we use English as
our common language and our respective Mother Tongues to communicate with
one another and appreciate our cultural heritage.
 All these aspects of our national identity help shape our individual identities.
4.2 Race and ethnicity
 Race refers to classification of people based on physical characteristics such as

the colour of their skin, while ethnicity refers to one’s ancestry, language and
cultural practices.
 Race and ethnicity may get complex as there are no clear definitions. For
example, some groups of people living in China may be Chinese by race, but
their languages and cultural practices may be different from the Chinese. These
include groups such as the Manchus and the Uyghurs. This is also true of Malays
who differ ethnically as Javanese, Bugis and Balinese. Indians also have different
ethnic groups such as Tamils, Telugus and Bengalis.
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 It is rare to identify a group of people who are of the same racial and ethnic
group. One example could be the Japanese, who share the same physical
characteristics as well as a common ancestry, language and cultural practices.
 In Singapore, race and ethnicity are commonly used interchangeably. We have
classified ourselves simply into 4 groups of people- Chinese, Malay, Indian and
Others (CMIO). This categorisation has been used in areas such as education
and housing. This categorisation was seen as necessary in the early days of our
nation building. This categorisation was modified in 2011 so that children born to
parents of different ethnic groups could identify themselves as ‘Chinese-Indian’,
‘Chinese-Malay’ or ‘Malay-Indian’ etc.
4.3 Religion
 Religion is a set of beliefs and practices observed by a group of people. Many

religions share common values, such as compassion for all living things.
 The major religions in Singapore are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam,
Sikhism and Taoism. The Constitution of Singapore allows people to practise the
religion of their choice freely.
 One can either be born into a religion or accept the faith later in life. The latter
makes religion different from ethnicity. Religions are also not bound by
nationality.
 Religion often plays a significant role in shaping one’s identity.
4.4 Socio-economic status
 Achievements in Income level, types of occupation, education and ownership of

wealth are some indicators of socio-economic status.
 Socio-economic status plays a key role in influencing one’s identity as this affects
one’s choices in areas such as food and housing.
 Sports such as polo or golf are generally associated with people in higher socio-
economic status while sports such as soccer and basketball are generally
associated with people from across the various socio-economic groups.
a. Higher socio-economic status

 People in this group generally have better houses, food, holidays and modes of
transport. They can either be born into economically privileged backgrounds or
achieve it through wealth accumulation.
b. Middle socio-economic status

 These are people who are in-between the higher and lower socio-economic
statuses.
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 People in this category are usually ‘white-collared’ workers who are collectively
referred to as PMET- Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians.
 Examples of professionals include cardiologists; examples of managers include
directors; examples of executives include general managers; and examples of
technicians include medical x-ray technicians.
c. Lower socio-economic status

 People in this category sometimes do not have the means to fully support
themselves and their families and need support from society. People in this
category generally take on jobs that require manual labour or jobs that do not
require much skill, in what is referred to as ‘blue-collared’ jobs. People in this
category also include the unemployed and the homeless.
d. Social mobility
 It is possible for an individual to move from one socio-economic status to another,
be it higher to lower, or vice versa. This movement is referred to as social
mobility.
e. Gini coefficient
 The Gini coefficient measures income distribution in a country.
 Singapore’s Gini coefficient was increasing before 2007. This was of concern as
it means that the income gap is widening and the income distribution is becoming
increasingly unequal. However, a recent report by MOF showed that at 2016, the
Gini coefficient is at its lowest in a decade, as it decreased from 0.439 in 2007 to
0.402 in 2016, after accounting for government redistributive transfers and
taxation. This shows the effectiveness of such government policies.
f. Income gap
 Income gap is an important factor that shapes the socio-economic diversity in
Singapore. Education and healthcare are key factors that can help reduce the
income gap and help people with social mobility.
4.5 Conclusion
Diversity is a broad concept that encompasses nationality, race and ethnicity,

religion and socio-economic status. These aspects of diversity contribute to
similarities and differences in identities of people in society. While different identities
can divide society, they can also contribute towards greater understanding when we
learn to accept and appreciate diversity, which leads to harmony in society.
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Chapter 5: Why is there greater Diversity in Singapore now?
Singapore has always been a diverse society since its founding in 1819, and this
continues to the present day. Migrants are people who come to work in Singapore
temporarily, whereas immigrants are people who come to Singapore with the intent
of making it their new homeland. Some migrants may eventually choose to become
Permanent Residents or even naturalised Singapore Citizens. Citizenship is granted
only to those who can contribute to Singapore and adapt themselves to become
Singaporeans. They must also show substantial commitment to Singapore. Many of
the newcomers bring with them their specialised skills and business networks which
Singapore needs. They also bring with them their own cultures and practices,
leading to greater diversity in Singapore today.
5.1 What makes Singapore attractive for immigrants?
5.1.1 Immigration policy
 Singapore’s immigration policy are tied in with the labour needs of the country.
Singapore’s industrialisation drive in the 1960s and 1970s necessitated the need
to import labour from other countries, as its native population were unable to
meet the demand for labour.
 Since 1971, the government issues work permits for workers from other to work
in Singapore. These workers had to leave the country after the expiry of their
work permits. They were not allowed to settle in Singapore.
 By the 1980s, Singapore faced a declining population due to low birth rates and
Singaporeans migrating to other countries. As Singaporean professionals can
speak English well, they could find jobs easily in other countries, and this led to a
serious problem of brain drain in Singapore, perpetuating the problem.
 The government thus had to encourage foreigners to migrate to Singapore to
make up for this brain drain to meet the labour needs of the country.
 Furthermore, Singapore faces an ageing population. This means that the
proportion of younger working citizens is getting smaller compared to the
proportion of elderly citizens. This declining age-dependency ratio will result in
the government having to tax younger working people higher in order to support
the increasing number of retired elderly in society.
 An ageing population will result in companies being unable to find enough labour
in Singapore. This will also result in a shrinking customer base, with companies
being unable to sell their products in sufficient numbers. The ageing population
has thus made the government liberalise its foreign labour policies as foreigners
are needed to meet the growing labour needs in Singapore.
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5.1.2 Economic opportunities
a. Multinational corporations (MNCs)

 Singapore has developed into a major global business hub, with more than 700
MNCs establishing themselves here. The conditions in Singapore, such as a
stable political environment and efficiency in getting things done, contributed to
the MNCs’ preference for Singapore. More factors include:
– Best investment potential- Singapore ranks top as an investment destination in
many international assessments. Investors choose Singapore because of
favourable conditions such as having stable political and economic climates.
– Easiest place to do business- Singapore has made it very convenient for
MNCs by simplifying all the administrative procedures in establishing and
running their businesses here. Singapore has also computerised most
administrative procedures, and this makes it very convenient for the investors
to submit all their forms online.
– Least corrupt- Singapore is preferred as it has a reputation of being the least
corrupt country in Asia. MNCs like the strict laws that Singapore has instituted
over business dealings as they will be able to run their businesses more
efficiently and they will not have to deal with corrupt government officials.
 The MNCs’ preference for Singapore has resulted in plenty of jobs available here
while this might not be the case in many other countries. The employment
opportunities have thus made Singapore and attractive place to work in for many
people in the region and beyond.
b. Need for labour to sustain the economy

 Both skilled and unskilled foreigners are needed to sustain Singapore’s economy.
 They take up many jobs in construction and food & beverages services, which
are usually shunned by Singaporeans. Their labour is also needed in areas such
as the marine sector, where there are not enough Singaporeans to fill all the
vacancies. Foreign domestic helpers also help in Singapore homes, looking after
small children and senior citizens. It is projected that the demand for foreign
domestic workers will rise from 198,000 in 2011 to about 300,000 by 2030.
 Talented foreign professionals have also come to Singapore, and this has
strengthened Singapore’s economy. Many of these foreigners come as
Professionals, Managers, Executives or Technicians (PMETs) or as senior
management in areas such as the banking sector. Singapore’s universities have
also employed talented foreign academics to educate local students. In 2014,
there were about 340,000 foreign professionals in Singapore.
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5.1.3 Socio-cultural environment
Many migrants and immigrants choose to come to Singapore because of its

favourable socio-cultural environment, partly due to its vibrant diversity.
a. Community support
 As Singapore is already home to a great number of ethnic communities, many
migrants and immigrants feel at home when they arrive because of the support
they can receive from people of the same ethnicity as themselves who are
already here. Many of these ethnic groups live in the same districts, and this
helps them to adapt to their new life in Singapore better.
 Most groups, including Thais, Japanese, Koreans and Filipinos, can easily find
support within their own communities in Singapore. There is a ‘Mini-Thailand’ in
Golden Mile Complex at Beach Road for the Thais to gather. The Japanese
gather at Liang Court near Clarke Quay, the Koreans gather at Bukit Timah near
the Singapore-Korean international School, while the Filipinos gather at Lucky
Plaza at Orchard Road.
 There are also immigrant support groups. One example is the Australia and New
Zealand Association (ANZA) Action Group volunteering at The Salvation Army in
Singapore. The ANZA is an association formed since 1948 to support Australian
and New Zealander families based in Singapore.
b. Safe environment
 When people think of migrating, safety and security in the country is one of the
key consideration factor.
 Based on an international study in 2015, Singapore is the ninth safest country in
the world. This is due to the low number of crimes committed here because of a
strong system of criminal justice and the absence of corruption. Singapore is one
of the few countries whereby the crime rates have been falling and that most of
the major crimes are solves by the justice system we have here.
 This aspect of safety makes Singapore an attractive place for migrants and
immigrants.
c. Singapore’s Education system

 Singapore’s quality education system makes it attractive for migrants and
immigrants. They come here hoping to improve themselves academically or to
give their children better standards of education.
 International education assessments have shown Singapore students performing
very well, and this is evidence of the high standards of our public schools.
 Although there are many international schools here, many new migrants and
immigrants choose public schools as they are convinced that their children will
receive quality education in these schools.
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 The government encourages new immigrants to send their children to local
schools because they will be in the same environment as Singaporean children.
 Besides primary and secondary schools, local polytechnics and universities have
also become very popular with migrants and immigrants. The facilities, number of
course options and high standards have made Singapore’s tertiary institutions
attractive to foreigners.
5.2 Impacts of increased migration
 The stable conditions in Singapore and employment opportunities have resulted

in many foreigners wanting to come and work in Singapore. With the arrival of
many migrants and immigrants, the diversity in Singapore has increased
significantly.
 Talented foreigners can command high wages due to their specialised skills while
unskilled foreigners are willing to work for lower wages in Singapore. This has led
to widening income gaps in our socio-economic diversity.
5.3 Conclusion
The stability in Singapore and easy availability of employment have made Singapore
a choice destination for many would-be migrants and immigrants. The favourable
socio-cultural environment has also made it attractive to these foreigners. The
diversity in Singapore has increased as more and more people from different
countries have chosen to make Singapore a new home for themselves and their
children.
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Chapter 6: What are the Experiences and Effects of Living in a Diverse
Society?
Singapore has seen an increase in diversity in recent times because of an increase

in the number of migrants and immigrants who have come to study, work or live in
Singapore. The new foreigners may be naturalised Singapore citizens, or permanent
residents or non-residents. The non-residents are here to work or study, and they do
not have intentions in staying in Singapore on a long-term basis.
In 2014, Singapore’s population was 5.47 million, with 3.34 million citizens, 0.53
million permanent residents and 1.6 million non-residents. In 2016, it increased to
5.61 million, with 3.41 million citizens, 0.52 million permanent citizens, and 1.67
million non-residents.
6.1 Interactions in a diverse society
6.1.1 Common space
 The sharp rise in Singapore’s population has led to increased diversity, which
increased the need for harmonious interactions. Since Singapore’s independence
in 1965, the government has strived to create a common space where everyone,
regardless of their racial, religious or socio-economic status, can come together
and have good social interaction and collaboration, which will help build a strong
identity.
6.1.2 Organisations to create common space
 Organisations such as Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs)

have been established in every constituency in Singapore to promote racial and
religious harmony. The IRCCs organise interfaith and inter-ethnic activities to
allow people to understand and appreciate one another’s faiths, beliefs and
practices.
 The OnePeople.sg organises CampTeen, where youths promote the importance
of harmony to other youths from all ethnic groups through talks and bonding
activities.
 The People’s Association (PA) was formed in 1960 to promote harmony and
social cohesion. The PA organises wide ranging community programmes and
volunteering opportunities for Singaporeans, providing common platforms for
Singaporeans to get together and interact with one another.
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6.2 Exchange and Appreciation in a diverse society
6.2.1 Exchange and appreciation of culture
 Cultural exchanges can create interesting experiences, given the diversity of

races, religions and socio-economic backgrounds where people come from.
Cultural exchanges often result in fusion, which can lead to interesting outcomes
in areas such as food, music and fashion.
6.2.2 Exchange of skills and knowledge
 When people of diverse backgrounds come together to study and work, there can
be interesting outcomes through the transfer of skills and knowledge. Foreign
experts in different scientific fields can share their knowledge and expertise when
they collaborate with local Singaporeans who can learn much from them.
 An example of this is the Biomedical Research Council (BRMC), which actively
supports and funds such collaborations in Singapore. Under BRMC programmes,
world-renowned scientists move to Singapore to continue their research, in
collaboration with Singaporeans. One positive outcome of such collaborations
was the discovery of the H1N1 flu vaccine.
6.3 Challenges of living in a diverse society
6.3.1 Prejudices and Misconceptions
In Singapore today, there are many opportunities for people from different
backgrounds to interact, which also increase the tendencies for these interactions to
create misunderstandings, due to people’s assumptions and lack of understanding of
other people’s beliefs and practices. When people make assumptions of someone
based on their nationality, ethnicity or socio-economic status, this is known as
stereotyping. Stereotyping people is dangerous because prejudices formed through
negative stereotyping can lead to breakdowns in harmony.
a. Example of prejudice in USA

 On 11 September 2001, terrorists hijacked planes and crashed them into key
targets in the USA. This is known as the 9/11 terrorist attack.
 As the terrorists were suspected to be Muslims, many innocent Muslim-
Americans became victims of hate crimes. Even though they were patriotic to the
USA and condemned the actions of terrorists, they were subjected to violence by
some racist peoples and unfair inconveniences simply because they looked
Middle-Eastern or had Muslim names.
 These incidents caused great hurt to the affected Muslims and showed prejudice
against an entire community of people, based simply on their faith.
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b. Examples of prejudice in Singapore
 In 2010, a Christian pastor made disparaging remarks about Buddhism, and the
video of his hate speech was uploaded onto Youtube and went viral. The video
led to people voicing many opinions and led to religious intolerance and mistrust
in Singapore. Even though the pastor eventually issued a public apology,
religious harmony was affected in Singapore.
 In 2012, a Chinese national, who was pursuing his education in Singapore,
referred to Singaporeans as ‘dogs’ in his blog. This resulted in many remarks
made against many different foreign nationals which were uncalled-for, thus
negatively affecting the social fabric of the country. Although the Chinese national
had his scholarship and job offer revoked, the unkind and prejudicial comments
continued.
 Incidents such as these show what can happen even in a generally peaceful and
tolerant society like Singapore when prejudicial remarks are made.
Discrimination
 Prejudice can also lead to discrimination.
 For example, in Singapore’s housing rental market, hosts may refuse to rent their
properties to potential tenants who are of certain races or nationalities. This is
because of the hosts’ negative stereotypical views of people of these races or
nationalities.
 Such discrimination causes great inconvenience to these people who need
accommodation and it also leaves a bad impression of Singaporeans.
 Failure to prevent prejudices and misconceptions from taking root can eventually
cause great harm to everyone in society. Interaction and understanding are this
vital for preventing the growth of stereotypes and prejudices.
6.4 Competition for resources
Singapore has always seen migrants coming here and making it their home. The
recent influx of migrants and immigrants has caused tensions in Singapore and has
resulted in prejudices, misconceptions and discrimination. One of the reasons for the
tension is competition for resources, which include opportunities and living space.
a. Concerns over standards of living

 With the influx of foreigners, Singaporeans have expressed concerns over issues
such as employment, housing, transportation and the rise in prices of goods and
services.
 Many Singaporeans are worried that foreigners will take away their jobs,
especially the older white-collar workers, as some professional foreigners are
willing to work at the same job scope for lower salaries. Some Singaporeans
believe that it is the influx of foreign workers that has depressed wages for
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Singaporeans with lower skills. Statistically, the number of Singaporeans
unemployed in 2015 was 2.6%. Even in the light of this low unemployment rate,
there are Singaporeans who continue to express their frustration that foreigners
are taking jobs away from them.
 Many foreigners are also here to work in jobs that require less skills, and these
are commonly the jobs that many Singaporeans prefer not to work in. These
include jobs in the construction and shipping sectors. Today, it is mostly the
foreign workers who build our houses and keep our streets clean.
 The government, aware of the sensitivities involved, has taken measures to
reduce the number of foreigners coming to work in Singapore. The government
has increased the levy for Work Permit holders (who are lower skilled) and
reduced quotas for the S pass and Employment Pass (who are higher skilled)
applicants. These measures were introduced to convince companies to reduce
their dependence on foreigners. The government has also made it mandatory for
employers who wish to hire workers on Employment Passes to advertise the
positions in the Jobs Bank first. The companies can hire foreigners only if no
suitable Singaporeans are found for the jobs.
 Singaporeans also complain about the increased crowdedness of public
transport, the lack of beds in public hospitals and the increase in prices of
housing. The government responded to such complaints by helping companies
finance the buying of new buses and trains to reduce congestions and increase
the frequencies of bus/train trips. New railway lines have also been planned and
built. The government also implemented policies to control the prices of housing
and began the construction of a substantial number of housing units to meet the
growing demand and also to keep prices in check. The government are also
building new public hospitals, such as the upcoming Sengkang general hospital,
to meet the needs of a growing/ageing population.
 The government continues to emphasise to Singaporeans the need for Singapore
to bring in foreigners to meet its labour needs and the advantages that skilled
workers and entrepreneurs bring to the country.
b. Concerns over social mobility

 Social mobility is the movement from one socio-economic status to another.
 As the wage levels between skilled and unskilled jobs have widened greatly in
Singapore, some Singaporeans have expressed their frustrations about how the
influx of foreign labour has affected Singaporeans’ social mobility. For instance,
lower-skilled Singaporeans have found it harder to get jobs in Singapore as
foreigners offer similar skill-sets at a lower cost.
 The government has responded by emphasizing retraining and learning of new
skills for this group in order for them to remain relevant in the new economy, such
as the Skillsfuture initiative. The government has also continued to emphasise
the need for meritocracy, which will ensure that people from all socio-economic
backgrounds will have opportunities to move up the socio-economic ladder.
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Schemes in schools such as the Edusave scholarship and Merit Bursary
schemes continue to be based on meritocracy to provide opportunities for
students from lower-income homes to have financial assistance for their
education. Indeed, policies supporting meritocracy are one of the most important
ones that can help lower-income families improve their socio-economic status.
6.5 Conclusion
A diverse population can bring benefits to society as interactions between people

from different communities can result in cross-cultural learning, sharing and also
contribute to harmony among different groups of people. However, the increasing
diversity in Singapore as a result of an influx of migrants and immigrants can lead to
challenges for society, if tensions arise due to prejudices and misconceptions. It is
thus important to manage diversity in society.
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Chapter 7: How can we Respond in a Diverse Society?
Singapore is a diverse society because of its immigration policy, economic

opportunities and social stability. This diversity, in terms of both socio-cultural and
socio-economic diversity, can lead to different positive experiences, but can also
result in social tensions due to unwelcomed prejudices and discriminations.
Therefore, it is imperative for us to know how to effectively manage diversity to
achieve a harmonious society.
7.1 Management and Impact of Socio-cultural diversity
Different countries have different policies for diversity. Some will try to achieve
assimilation in a society, while some try to achieve integration.
7.1.1 Example of assimilation: France
 Assimilation refers to the adoption of the beliefs and practices of the majority
group in the host country.
 France has one of the highest immigration arrivals in Europe. It also has one of
the highest proportions of immigrants and descendants of immigrants in Europe.
Past immigrants to France were mainly from its former colonies such as Algeria
and Morocco. In 2014, immigrants made up 8.9% of the population or 5.8 million
in absolute numbers.
 France is a good example of a country that adopts assimilation as their method to
deal with increasing diversity in its society. France strongly believes in laicite or
secularism; that is, religion is to be strictly kept out of governance and no religion
is preferred over the other. France passed its secularism law in 1905; it is illegal
in France for any census to compile data concerning a citizen’s race, ethnicity or
religion, and everyone is deemed equal before the law.
 The French national identity is thus not linked to race, ethnicity, religion or socio-
economic status. In France, harmony is achieved with everyone putting aside
their racial, religious and socio-economic status identity.
 The French government thus has assimilation policies for immigrants. These
policies include education, employment and naturalisation programmes for
immigrants to be assimilated into French society.
a. Assimilation policies in France
Education
 The French education system is strictly secular, and discussion of religion is
allowed only in History and Philosophy classes.
 There are also ‘adaptation’ classes for children of new immigrants to immerse
them in French language and identity before they join regular French schools.
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 The French strongly believe that the way to strengthen the French national
identity is by treating everyone equally, and schools have an important role to
play in achieving this.
Employment
 The French believe that the workplace plays an important role in getting
immigrants to assimilate into French society. The working environment requires
them to speak French to communicate with their colleagues.
 However, the reality is that many immigrants are unemployed because of the
discriminatory policies of companies. Thus, the government’s planned
assimilation process through employment has not been as successful as it hoped
to be.
 The government thus introduced a Diversity Charter, which allows companies to
declare that they are discrimination-free. The government introduced this charter
because it believes that assimilation best occurs in the workplace.
Naturalisation programmes
 The government introduced naturalisation programmes in 1998 as one of its
assimilation policies. It became compulsory for all immigrants to attend French
language classes and civic education in order to gain permanent resident (PR)
status.
 The government believes that the naturalisation process will enable immigrants to
gain proficiency in the French language and will also enable them to embrace
French attitudes and beliefs.
b. Tensions in France
 Assimilation in France requires the people to keep their religious beliefs and
ethnic customs private. This has become a great challenge as many new
immigrants choose to hold on strongly to their religious identities. These
immigrants want to display their religious identities publicly, which is against the
French way of life. As more and more people were displaying their religious
symbols, the French national identity was seen as being under threat.
 In 2004, the French government passed a law that prohibited the display of
religious items in schools. This meant that female Muslim students could not
wear their head scarves, Jewish students could not wear their kippahs, Christian
students could not wear large crosses, and Sikh students could not wear their
turbans in schools.
 The French government believed that these religious symbols were in conflict
with the French national identity and were a hindrance to national cohesion. This
policy led to Muslim and Sikh communities protesting through demonstrations to
show their displeasure with the government policy, which they felt was interfering
with their religious beliefs and requirements.
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 In 2010, the government passed a law banning the face veil used by Muslim
women in public places.
 Some have criticised the government’s assimilation policies for violating the
individual’s rights and freedom of religious expression. However, the French
government responded by making it clear that it would continue with its policy of
assimilation. It reinforced its stand that immigrants must be able to communicate
in French language and adopt French culture. According to the government, if
immigrants cannot or do not wish to comply with these requirements, then they
should consider leaving France.
 The government made it clear that its assimilation policies were needed to
minimise distinctions between people and to uphold the French identity. The
French experience shows that although assimilation is ideal, it may not
necessarily bring about unity and harmony in a country.
7.1.2 Example of integration: Singapore
 Unlike France, Singapore does not practise assimilation but integration to

manage its diverse society.
 Integration refers to the process in which immigrants forge a common ground
with the groups already living in the host country while the immigrants retain their
unique identities.
 Singapore grants PR status to about 30,000 immigrants yearly, and this helps to
keep the PR population stable at about 0.5 million. This ensures a pool of
suitable candidates for citizenship. Singapore also require these new immigrants
to lessen the impact of our ageing population.
 Integration is important as about 50,000 new immigrants enter Singapore yearly.
Some immigrants will integrate quickly and may even decide to settle here by
taking up Singapore citizenship. Other new immigrants may take a longer time to
integrate; thus, integration programmes are needed to help them understand
Singapore and Singaporeans better.
 Integration allows immigrants to retain their original identities while they adapt to
the commonalities of the people living in the country they had immigrated to.
Unlike assimilation, differences are recognised and respected in the integration
process.
 In Singapore, integration is promoted even as no special rights are given to any
racial, ethnic or religious groups. The new socio-cultural identities complement
the Singaporean national identity through integration.
 The government has introduced policies such as bilingualism, the Presidential
Council for Minority Rights (PCMR), Group representation Constituencies (GRCs)
and the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) to allow integration to occur.
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a. Integration policies in Singapore
Bilingualism
Bilingualism, introduced in 1966, requires students to learn English and one of

the official Mother Tongue languages- Mandarin, Malay or Tamil. English serves
as the common language of communication for everyone and contributes greatly
to integrate people from different ethnic groups. Mother Tongue languages help
to preserve one’s own cultural identity and traditions.
Presidential Council for Minority Rights (PCMR)
The PCMR, formed in 1970, ensures that Parliament does not pass any laws that
will be discriminatory to any racial or religious group, as it makes sure that
minority groups are all represented in parliament. The PCMR also reports on
matters affecting any community, when asked to do so by Parliament or the
government.
Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs)
The GRC, introduced in 1988, ensures that minority groups will always be
represented in Parliament. In GRCs, one member of the team contesting in the
elections must be from any of the minority ethnic groups.
Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP)
The EIP, introduced in 1989, ensures that no HDB estate in Singapore can
become an ethnic enclave as it ensures that all HDB estates must have a
balance of the ethnic groups. With different ethnic groups as neighbours, there
are better opportunities for integration and harmony among them, and social
cohesion is strengthened in the process.
b. Promoting integration in Singapore
The Singapore citizenship journey (SCJ)

 The SCJ was developed collaboratively by the National Integration Council (NIC),
the People’s Association (PA) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of
Singapore (ICA).
 Upon receiving their in-principle approval for Singapore citizenship, the new
citizens must complete the SCJ within two months in order to receive their
Singapore citizenship certificate and identity card. The SCJ contributes in getting
new citizens to integrate better in Singapore. The SCJ comprises of:
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– The Singapore citizenship e-journey allows new citizens to learn about
Singapore at their own pace and convenience. The e-journey provides
information on Singapore’s history and development as a nation, our
national policies, Total Defence and our efforts to build a harmonious
society.
– The community sharing sessions bring new citizens together and them to
reflect on their journey towards citizenship, share their hopes and
aspirations for Singapore about opportunities to participate in community
events. ‘Integration and Naturalisation’ champions from the PA will have
on what it means to be living in a multiracial, multi-religious Singapore and
also to help new citizens settle better in Singapore.
– The Singapore experiential tour brings new citizens to historical buildings
and landmarks in Singapore to learn more about Singapore’s history and
how Singapore manages issues such as security and defence, water
resources, transport and urban planning.
Common experiences
 Opportunities are created to allow immigrants to mix with Singaporeans, which is
key to successful integration.
 In 2010, the Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) quota was introduced to
ensure that new immigrants do not create their own enclaves. There is a limit of
5% in every neighbourhood and 8% for every housing block.
 Another effective integration tool is National Service (NS). All male Singapore
citizens and second-generation permanent residents are required to serve NS for
2 years. Besides allowing for integration, this also trains the men to defend the
country. Serving NS facilitates better integration as this shows that the
immigrants have embraced one important aspect of life in Singapore, which all
Singaporean men and their families go through.
 Participation in community events also helps in the integration process. In 2009,
the NIC set up the Community Integration Fund (CIF) to provide financial support
to organisations that are interested in organising community integration projects.
These projects include events such as diversity workshops, cultural exchange
programmes, providing essential information about Singapore, and sports-or arts-
based programmes that promote integration. The events can also include
involving immigrants in volunteer projects to serve the community.
 The PA organises block parties, celebration of festivals, home visits and
orientation tours to bring about integration between Singaporeans and
immigrants. New citizens and PRs are involved in the organisation of these
events. These people also visit the homes of new arrivals to get them to
participate in these events. These initiatives help new migrants to integrate better
with less anxiety.
c. Tensions in Singapore
36

 Singaporeans have generally expressed their sentiments that the once strong
Singapore identity and social cohesion have been eroded with the arrival of large
numbers of immigrants, and how valuing individual cultures impedes the making
of a unified national identity.
 Some Singaporeans are unhappy with the liberal immigration policy as they feel
that jobs and job security for Singaporeans have been taken away. Some also
hold the foreigners responsible for the escalation of prices housing, causing
increased traffic congestions and problems.
 Some immigrants’ lack of ability to communicate with Singaporeans in the
English language and their different social behaviours are also seen as
hindrances to integration. While integration has strengthened bonding among the
ethnic groups in Singapore, the integration between Singaporeans and new
immigrants still needs improvement.
7.2 Management and Impact of Socio-economic diversity
We look at managing a socio-economically diverse society through the lenses of

healthcare. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is the duty of all
governments to provide their citizens with healthcare services. Finance should not
be an obstacle in citizens receiving basic healthcare. Different countries adopt
different approaches in financing healthcare services for the people. The USA
adopts the market-based approach, Singapore adopts the shared responsibility
approach, while Sweden adopts the government-financed approach.
7.2.1 Market-based approach in the USA
a. Features of the US healthcare system

 In the market-based approach, the government leaves it to the citizens to decide
how much they want to pay for their healthcare. The government also allows
market forces to determine the provision of healthcare services.
 In the USA, both public and private hospitals provide healthcare services. 58% of
hospitals are non-profit private hospitals, 21% are profit-making private hospitals,
and 25% are non-profit public government hospitals.
 The government does not interfere in the price setting of healthcare service
providers or which service provider citizens choose. Due to this governmental
non-interference, costs for medical procedures can vary significantly from one
healthcare service provider to another. The costs can be reasonable or
prohibitive.
 To pay for their healthcare, Americans buy medical insurance. The problem is
that not all Americans can afford to pay their insurance premiums.
b. Affordability of the US healthcare system
37

 Americans in the middle and higher socio-economic groups can afford the
insurance premiums because medical insurance is part of their terms of
employment, i.e. their employers pay for their medical insurance.
 Even in this group, only about 10% can afford beyond what their companies pay
for them.
 Americans in the lower socio-economic bracket cannot afford to pay insurance
premiums because the premiums are usually very high. Making profits is the
main aim of the insurance companies. Americans in this group are unlikely to
seek medical care when they get sick or need medical procedures. The only care
they can receive are in serious emergency cases when they are in the Accident
and Emergency (A&E) department of the hospitals.
 The USA’s population is around 320 million, and about 41 million Americans do
not have healthcare insurance. There are several schemes available to help
Americans in the lower socio-economic group:
– Medicare is a healthcare insurance provided for those who are 65 years or
older. This scheme also provides insurance for those who are below 65 but
who have serious disabilities or suffer from serious ailments such as kidney
failure.
– Medicaid is also a healthcare insurance provided for people with very limited
incomes or serious disabilities. Eligibility is dependent on age and extent of
disability.
– EMTALA- the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labour Act (EMTALA)
was a law passed in 1986. This law makes it compulsory for all hospitals to
provide care to anyone needing emergency treatment until his/her condition
stabilises. This law was passed to prevent private hospitals from transferring
people requiring emergency medical treatment to the public hospitals because
of their fears that the patient would not have the means to pay.
c. Challenges in the US healthcare system

 The USA faces tension in trying to balance the needs to provide healthcare and
maintain the capitalist market-based approach.
 As healthcare insurance premiums are high, many people in the lower socio-
economic group choose not to buy insurance in order to meet their other needs,
such as food, rents and transportation costs. Smaller firms cannot afford to buy
healthcare insurance for their employees.
 Americans whose companies seek to make as much profits as possible and so
they prefer to insure only the healthy and the employed. They very often reject
applications from the unemployed and those with pre-existing conditions that is
those who are already suffering from serious ailments. Denying insurance to
these groups effectively means that medical treatment is not available to the
groups of people who need medical treatment the most.
 As the number of Americans who do not have medical insurance increased
substantially, former US President Obama pushed for the passing of the
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Affordable Care Act, which would allow all Americans, including those from the
lower socio-economic group and those with pre-existing conditions, to afford the
insurance premiums. Former President Obama managed to convince the US
Congress to pass this act in 2014. The Affordable Care Act is often referred to as
Obamacare in recognition of the president who made healthcare affordable to all
Americans. Americans from all socio-economic groups and health-conditions can
generally afford to pay their insurance premiums today due to Obamacare.
7.2.2 Shared responsibility approach in Singapore
Singapore takes an approach that is very different from the USA’s approach. In
Singapore, through the shared responsibility approach, the government and the
people share healthcare costs.
a. Features of the Singapore healthcare system

 Singapore’s healthcare system has both public and private healthcare service
providers. Primary healthcare services are provided in polyclinics in the public
sector and in the General Practitioner (GP) clinics in the private sector. Public
hospitals provide about 85% of beds for in-patients while the private sector
provides the remaining 15%.
 In public hospitals, there is a differentiation in wards, with Ward A receiving no
government subsidies and Ward C receiving the most subsidies. Singaporeans
can receive government subsidies of up to 80% for their total medical bill in
hospitals, depending on the type of ward they choose.
 There are over 1,500 private clinics, which serve over 80% of the primary care
needs of Singaporeans. There are 18 polyclinics in the public sector, which
provide a variety of medical services to the public at subsidised rates.
 Community Hospitals, Homecare, Nursing Homes and Hospices provide
Intermediate and Long Term Care (ILTC) to patients who are well enough to be
discharged from hospitals but still require supervised medical care.
 ILTC is usually provided by Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs), with the
government providing financial support to ensure that the healthcare of the needy
is provided for.
 The shared responsibility works by Singaporeans setting aside a percentage of
their monthly wages for future medical expenses. These compulsory savings will
help them pay for their healthcare when the need arises. As they are using their
own savings, they will take personal responsibility for their healthcare choices.
The government provides subsidies to help keep healthcare costs affordable.
 The government introduced healthcare policies to ensure that people will be able
to afford their healthcare even as costs go up. The policies are known collectively
as the 3Ms- Medisave, MediShield Life and Medifund. The government’s key
consideration when deciding on the 3Ms was to ensure that co-payment would be
present to prevent over-consumption. The government had seen how over-
39

consumption had led to serious problems in the provision of healthcare in other
countries.
 Singaporeans can use their Medisave to pay for unsubsidised components of
healthcare. They may also be eligible to use Medishield Life to pay for very large
hospitalisation bills. Singaporeans who cannot afford to pay their bills, even after
using Medisave and Medishield Life, can apply for financial assistance through
Medifund.
 Singapore has universal access to healthcare for its citizens, with a financing
system in which both individuals and the government are responsible in keeping
healthcare affordable for everyone. In Singapore, the public sector covers about
80% of the acute care sector and the private sector covers about 80% of the
general medical care sector. Shared responsibility has made it possible for the
government to spend only about 4% of the country’s GDP on healthcare
expenditure, which is one of the lowest in the world. The government expects
national healthcare expenditure to rise, given Singapore’s ageing population.
b. Affordability of Singapore’s healthcare system
The government wants Singaporeans to take greater personal responsibility for their
healthcare needs while providing safety nets for those who genuinely cannot afford
to pay for their healthcare costs. The government ensures that no Singaporean is
denied healthcare based on their inability to pay and this is achieved through:
Subsidies
 The government provides direct healthcare subsidies at polyclinics, public
hospitals, community hospitals and nursing homes. The government introduced
the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) in 2012. This scheme allows
Singaporeans to get affordable medical and dental care at participating private
clinics. CHAS provides additional subsidies to the needy seeking healthcare
services at private clinics CHAS is based on means testing (ability to pay). The
government enhanced the scheme in 2014 to cover more Singaporeans in the
lower and middle socio-economic brackets. About 1.3 million Singaporeans
became eligible for CHAS with the enhancement.
Medisave
 Medisave is a compulsory medical savings scheme. Working Singaporeans and
their employers contribute a part of their monthly wage to the Medisave Account.
Singaporeans can withdraw from these savings for their medical needs.
MediShield Life
 MediShield Life is a compulsory healthcare insurance plan for all Singaporeans.
This plan covers Singaporeans from cradle to grave, including those with pre-
existing conditions. All Singaporeans contribute to this scheme and the money
40

from the common pool will be used to meet the healthcare needs of all
Singaporeans. One need not worry about huge medical bills as MediShield Life
will help to cover a portion of these bills. The government has included co-
payment in the scheme to ensure that individuals continue to take responsibility
for their healthcare needs.
Medifund
 Medifund is an endowment fund that provides financial assistance to
Singaporeans who cannot afford to pay their medical bills even after subsidies,
Medisave and Medishield Life.
Other schemes
 The government continues to introduce new schemes to ensure that healthcare
remains accessible and affordable for all Singaporeans.
 In 2014, outpatient subsidies for care and medicine were increased to help lower
and middle income groups. In 2015, the Pioneer Generation received special
subsidies and Medisave top-ups. In 2015, MediShield Life replaced MediShield.
The premiums for MediShield Life are higher than those for MediShield, but
MediShield Life now covers all Singaporeans from cradle to grave, including
those with pre-existing conditions.
 Government policies have helped many Singaproeans meet their healthcare
needs and costs due to changes brought about by socio-economic diversity.
Quality and affordable healthcare should remain available to all Singaporeans,
regardless of their socio-economic status.
c. Challenges in Singapore’s healthcare system
The biggest challenge for the government is to balance affordability with ever rising
healthcare costs and also taking into consideration Singapore’s rapidly ageing
population.
Managing growing demand for healthcare

 As Singapore’s population is growing rapidly due to liberal immigration policies
and will continue to do so, there is a need to ensure that the healthcare
infrastructure is also improved to match the increasing number of people seeking
medical care. Singapore is facing an ageing population, and by 2030, it is
estimated that there will be around 1 million Singaporeans aged 65 and above.
 As the elderly require more healthcare services, their needs will have to be met.
The elderly are more likely to be hospitalised than the young. The elderly also do
not recover as quickly as the young and so need to be in hospital for longer
periods of time. As such, hospitals must be prepared to meet growing demands
as Singapore’s population ages.
41

 The twin factors of an increasing population and an ageing population have made
it imperative for the healthcare infrastructure to be able to meet the demands.
The demand will also increase because of increasing life expectancy and
sedentary lifestyles, which increases the chances of people getting serious
ailments. There is a need to shift emphasis away from hospitals to primary care
because serious conditions can be avoided or managed better if detected and
treated earlier. The government’s vision is for all Singaporeans to have their own
family doctors who will attend to their basic healthcare needs. Regular medical
check-ups and treatment will not require people to go to hospitals in most
situations.
Rising healthcare costs

 Rising healthcare costs are a global phenomenon and Singapore is not spared.
The government gets revenue for the subsidies from taxes such as income tax
and consumption tax (GST) and the government can sustain this only is all
Singaporeans do their part to help keep healthcare costs under control.
 Patients and doctors have their responsibilities to ensure that healthcare remains
cost effective. Patients should seek treatment only when needed. Doctors must
not prescribe unnecessary tests and procedures and play their part in conserving
limited resources. Some generic drugs, which are much cheaper, are just as
effective as branded drugs and so doctors and patients should go for the option
of generic drugs to save costs and resources. Healthcare is everyone’s
responsibility. Individuals require less medical care if they maintain healthy
lifestyles and diets.
 Singapore’s healthcare system of shared responsibility has its fair share of critics
and admirers. Some other countries are looking at our healthcare system to see
its viability in their countries where healthcare costs have risen significantly for
the government. Singapore continually reviews its healthcare policies to ensure
that healthcare always remains accessible and affordable for all Singaporeans.
7.2.3 Government-financed approach in Sweden
In the government-financed approach, the government pays for almost all the
healthcare needs of citizens with the taxes it collects from them. Like Sweden, other
Nordic countries, such as Norway and Denmark, also have adopted the government-
financed approach for their countries.
a. Features of the Swedish healthcare system

 Sweden believes in the idea of social and economic equality for all citizens. In
line with this belief, all citizens are provided near-free healthcare, regardless of
their socio-economic backgrounds. Swedes enjoy universal access to healthcare.
This means that all citizens have equal access to the benefits, regardless of their
socio-economic backgrounds.
42

 There is a Voluntary Healthcare Insurance (VHI), which can be bought to
complement the government-provided healthcare. The VHI gives preference to
the insured at hospitals. Employees can get VHI as part of their employment
package.
 In Sweden, the healthcare system is largely public in nature. The majority of
hospitals are public hospitals. There are privately owned clinics to provide
primary care. Even the hospitals in the private sector are largely run from public
funds.
 The Swedes only pay a nominal sum as part of their co-payment. The taxes,
such as income tax and consumption tax, are very high, and the government
finances the healthcare system from the high taxes it collects from the people.
b. Affordability of the Swedish healthcare system
 Sweden has policies that make healthcare affordable for all its citizens. Only
Swedes who are above the age of 20 need to pay when they visit the hospitals.
They need to pay only €9 per day if they are hospitalised and this is capped at
€122 per year.
 The Swedes also need pay just a maximum of €122 per year for their medication.
Once this limit is reached, they do not need to pay any more money for their
medication for the rest of the year. A couple needs to pay only a maximum of
€244 for the healthcare needs of all the children in the family. Once this amount
is reached, the family will get 100% subsidy from the government for the
healthcare needs of their children.
 Therefore, Swedes rarely put private medical insurance, and if they do, it is only
to gain priority for treatment and medication at hospitals.
c. Challenges in the Swedish healthcare system

 The Swedes have to pay a very high income tax. The more they earn, the higher
the tax, which can be as high as 51%. The Swedes also have to pay
consumption tax (known as GST in Singapore). In Sweden, it is known as Value
Added Tax (VAT). The VAT is 25% in Sweden.
 The Swedes are willing to pay high taxes to sustain their healthcare system. A
challenge is that due to an ageing population, the burden of taxation will
increasingly fall on a proportionally smaller working population.
 Immigration and EU membership are also placing strains on the Swede
healthcare system.
 Sweden was once a largely homogeneous society, but immigration is changing
this. Swedes are beginning to question whether immigrants should enjoy the
same healthcare benefits as citizens.
 Membership in the EU has enabled citizens from other EU countries to take
advantage of Sweden’s generous healthcare system by seeking medical
treatment there, and this also has placed a strain on the Swedish healthcare
system. As Sweden is facing an ageing population, greater strain will be felt in
43

the next 10-15 years as revenue from taxation will fall due to the shrinking
working population.
 The Swedes are proud of and satisfied with their healthcare system and resist
any calls to change it. This makes it difficult for the government to make changes
to the government-financed approach, which has come under strain and will face
sustainability problems in the future.
7.3 Conclusion
Different countries adopt different approaches in running healthcare systems in their

countries. What works in one country may not necessarily work in another country.
The reasons for this are: the way the country finances the healthcare system, the
experiences and will of the people, and the condition of the healthcare system in the
country. It is a great challenge for governments to meet the needs of the people in a
socio-economically diverse society. Healthcare is especially challenging in such a
society as this is something that is needed by all in society. Governments need to
implement and fine-tune healthcare policies to meet the changing needs of their
diverse societies.
44

E. SOURCE-BASED QUESTION
1. PURPOSE
What is Purpose? W Writer’s Intention
A Target Audience
O Intended Outcome
I Issue at hand
What are the various ways of a. Positive Propaganda
writing PURPOSE? b. Negative Propaganda
c. Justification in a Subjective Way
d. Justification in an Objective Way
e. Balanced View
What do you need to look out Identify Author and Explain the Significance of the
pertaining to PURPOSE? Date (If necessary), Explain the Author’s Intention +
supporting evidence, Identify the Target Audience,
Intended Outcome.
What are Objective and Subjective  Objective view → based on factual evidence/
Views? writes in a matter of fact way/list down facts.
 Subjective view → not based on facts but
emotions/opinion/judgement.
POSITIVE PROPAGANDA
Author and Context/ Time Period:

E.g. The Workers’ Party member published the article in 2016, at the time when they
were competing against the PAP in the National Elections. (*Note: You need to clearly
explain context of that time period for him to publish this article). He is bias because
uses the WP newsletter as a propaganda tool to….. (The intention of the author): Praise
/Glorify/ Congratulate/ Celebrate/ show enthusiasm/ optimism about the WP’s
manifesto/ WP’s leader/ policies towards…
HOW DOES HE PUT FORTH THE MESSAGE?

 He praises Low Thia Kiang by:
o Showing one side of the coin i.e. highlighting only the positive effects of the policy
OR
o Downplaying the negative and highlighting only the positive points
o Using loaded words to exaggerate his success
o Giving an opinion/judgment/making assumptions without evidence/facts
Target audience: The Singaporean politicians? the Singapore public? International or

Singapore readers?
Intended outcome: To persuade/convince in order to give support/ continue to give

support to the WP leader.
45

NEGATIVE PROPAGANDA
Author and Context/ Time Period: E.g. The Workers’ Party newsletter published the
article during the 2016 National Elections. *(Note: You need to clearly explain context of
that time period for him to publish this article). It is bias because the newsletter was
used as a propaganda tool to put the PAP in a bad light by criticizing their financial policies
towards the…. (The intention of the author): Condemn/ Criticise/ Discredit/ Mock/
Ridicule/ Sarcastic/ show pessimism towards the PAP’s policies that they did not
meet their desired results…

 He criticises the PAP opponent member by:
o Showing one side of the coin i.e. highlighting only the weaknesses of the PAP
policies
OR
o Downplaying the positive and highlighting only the negative points
o Using loaded words to exaggerate his failure
o Giving an opinion/judgment/making assumptions without evidence/facts
Target audience: The Singaporean politicians? Singapore public? International or

Singapore readers?
Intended outcome: To persuade/convince in order not to give support/not to continue to

give support the PAP for the National Elections.
TO JUSTIFY AN ACTION AND/OR DEFEND A PERSON/PUSH

BLAME TO SOMEONE IN A SUBJECTIVE WAY
Author and Historical Context/ Time Period: e.g. Source B is an American newspaper
that was published in 2001 after the destruction of the World Trade Center in New
York. (*Note: You need to clearly explain context of that time period for him to
publish this article). He is bias because uses the newspaper as a propaganda tool……
(The Intention of the Author): Justify an action in order to defend the American
President and or push blame to others.
 He defends the American President by

o Attempting to explain the rationale behind the American President’s actions -
show that the President’s actions were valid/ meant well/had a good reason for
declaring war on terrorism…
OR
o Push the blame to the opposition or aggressor AND show on the other hand that
e.g. the President was the victim of…
Target audience: British politicians? American public? Terrorists?

Intended outcome: Wants the American public to sympathize with the American President
so that the American public will continue to vote for the President/continue to support his
policies against terrorism in the world.
46

TO JUSTIFY AN ACTION IN AN OBJECTIVE WAY (BASED ON FACTS)
Author and Historical Context/ Time Period: e.g. The author is a historian and he
published the article in Singapore in the year, 1995, about 50 years after the end of the
Second World War in Singapore. The author tries to shed light about the role played
by Lt-Gen Percival during the War. (*Note: You need to clearly explain context of that
time period for him to publish this article).
The Intention of the Author: To justify an action/s of a person/country.
o Providing an objective view - Attempts to explain Percival’s ability and strengths

in the defense of Singapore during WWII in an objective manner and without
being subjective by listing down /describing information based on facts/evidence.
Target audience: British politicians? Singaporean public? International audience?
Intended outcome: Wants to educate/ enlighten the reader OR dispel misconceptions

of a certain issue so that the reader will be able to access/evaluate the situation in an
objective way as well.
BALANCED VIEW
Author and Historical Context/ Time Period: E.g. The author is an American historian
and he published the history book in 1995 as he wants to provide a balanced view of the
Lt-Gen Percival. . (*Note: You need to clearly explain context of that time period for him
to publish this article). Example, it was published the book 50 years after the end of
World War II.
The Intention of the author: To inform the audience…
HOW DOES HE PUT FORTHTHE MESSAGE?
o Giving a balance view by providing facts on both the positive and negative
aspects of a certain issue
Target audience: British politicians? Singapore public? International readers?
Intended outcome: Wants to educate enlighten the reader OR dispel a misconception of a

certain issue so that the reader
47

2. INFERENCE
What is Inference?
Inference refers to the ability to detect hidden meaning/ messages using certain visual clues
from a source/s.
What are the three types of • ‘BASIC INFERENCE’ Question
Inferences? • ‘INFERENCE-MESSAGE’ Question
• ‘INFERENCE-PURPOSE’ Question
How does a ‘BASIC INFERENCE’ • What does the source tell me about ______?
Question look like? • What can you infer from this source about _____?
How do you approach this Answer the question by copying part of the
question-type? question and incorporating it in your answer.
Example:
Q: What does the source tell me about the terrorist
attacks?
A: The source tells me that the terrorist attacks
were ______________.
** Follow the style of the question!

** Use: “This source tell me that…”
General Marking Scheme for ‘BASIC INFERENCE’.
Levels Descriptors Marks
L1 Describes the source 1m
L2 Describes Context 2-3m
L3 Reason, based on content. 4 – 6m
Award up to 6 marks for two valid supported inferences.
How does an ‘INFERENCE- • How far does the cartoonist approve of _____?
MESSAGE’ Question look like? • What is the message of the source?
How do you approach this Example:

question-type? Q: What is the message of the source?
A: The message of the source is to ___________.

** Use: “This source tell me that…
48

General Marking Scheme for ‘INFERENCE-MESSAGE’.
L2 Sub-Messages with supporting evidence 2-3
L3 Main Message with supporting evidence (with intention) 4-5
How does an ‘INFERENCE- • Why did the army Commander make the speech?
PURPOSE’ Question look like? • Why did the cartoonist draw the cartoon?
• What is the motive of the Prime minister in giving
that speech?
• What is the newspaper trying to achieve by
publishing the cartoon?
question-type? Q: Why did the cartoonist draw the cartoon?
A: The cartoonist drew this cartoon because ______.

General Marking Scheme for ‘INFERENCE-PURPOSE’.
L2 Reason 2-3
L3 Purpose (WAOI) 4-5
WAOI
• W = Writer’s Intention
– Remember to use Action words – E.g.
Criticize, glorify
• A = Target Audience
• O = Intended Outcome
– (what impact the author desires from the
audience – normally is to gain support)
• I = Issue (relate to the topic)
ACTION WORDS
Positive Words Negative Words
Reassure Criticise
Encourage Condemn
Convince Blame
Compliment Mock (mostly for political
Praise cartoons)
Justify (could be seen as
neutral)
49

Practice Questions (Inference)
Study Source A.
What is the message of this source? Explain your answer. [5]
Is Singapore’s integration policy successful?
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions.
With the growing diversity in Singapore, integration is emphasised through promoting

equality without granting special rights to any particular racial, ethnic or religious
group. Integration is also achieved when diverse socio-cultural identities complement
the national identity of being a Singaporean with their unique identities. While many
have debated over Singapore’s evolving national identity, its core is firmly anchored
on the shared values of upholding law and order, respecting racial and religious
harmony, and a commitment to working together for a better future. Some
Singaporeans, however, feel that the new immigrants have not integrated sufficiently
and have begun to feel uncomfortable with the inflow of foreigners.
Source A: A photograph showing local students and foreign workers taking part in a
series of games at Tuas View Dormitory organised by National Integration Council.
50

L1/1 Describes the source 1m
i.e. the source shows a group of foreign workers and local

students at the workers’ dormitory.
L2/2-3 Identifies sub-message 2-3m
(answers indicating that integration policy is successful is too

far-fetched and is an assumption, and will fall into the L2
bracket)
(answers that do not link back to the broader intent of

integration)
(answers that have no specific evidence from the source)
i.e. the source shows a group of foreign workers and local

students enjoying themselves in games organised by National
Integration Council. Through such events, they know each other
better.
L3/4-5 Identifies main message 4-5m
(answers explaining how the source shows the process/effort of

integration by NIC, or showing how it is possible for an
integrated society as seen between the local students and
foreign workers, as they learn to appreciate and respect their
cultural and ethnic differences)
(students must explain from both the perspectives of the local

students and foreign workers, with supporting evidence for full
marks)
i.e. The message of this source is to show that the Singapore

government/ National Integration Council understands the
importance to organise events to bond local Singaporeans and
foreign workers together. The source shows local students
having fun with the foreign workers, playing a traditional
Singaporean game of ‘jump rope’. This hints at how integration
can be achieved by the locals sharing their cultures and
practices with the foreign workers. By including them as part of
our society, local students could have a better understanding of
the foreign workers and their living environment. Through such
events, students could also express their gratitude and
appreciation to the workers for their contributions to Singapore’s
51

development. Such events that are held at the foreign workers’
dormitory also allow the foreign workers to share their culture
and ways of living. These will help to integrate locals and
foreigners to minimise unnecessary misunderstanding and
conflicts for a better integrated society in Singapore.
52

3. COMPARISON
What is Comparison?
How does a ‘COMPARISON’ • How similar/different are these sources? Explain
Question look like? your answer.
• How similar are these sources as evidence
about immigration in Germany? Explain your
answer.
• How far do Sources B and C give different
impressions about …?
• How far do these sources disagree about the
reasons for terrorism in the Middle-East?
Explain your answer, using the details of the
sources.
• How far do you think the President in in Source
B would agree with the writer in Source C?
• In what ways are the sources similar/ different?
(only S or D required)
question-type? Q: How similar are these sources as evidence
answer.
A: Source A and B are similar/different in terms of
______ (Pertaining to immigration in Germany).

General Marking Scheme for ‘COMPARISON’.
L 4 One Similarity in content (1st paragraph) 4m
*Note: You must make your topic statement clear at the beginning of the
paragraph as to what is similar. For e.g. both sources B and C are similar
about the aims of the Medisave policy.
L4 And One Difference in content (2nd paragraph) supported 5m
*Note: You must make your topic statement clear at the beginning of the
paragraph as to what is different. For e.g. both sources B and C are similar
about the effects of the Medisave policy.
L 5 Difference in tone/purpose, supported (3rd paragraph) 6m
(explain motive of the author – when the source was written/drawn, who is
speaking, historical context, intention of author (praise/glorify et, target
audience, & intended outcome, supported)
53

How should your COMPARISON answer look like?
Study Source B and C.
How similar are these two sources? Explain your answer. [6]
1st PARAGRAPH
Both sources are similar in stating that the government had put in much effort to integrate
foreigners into Singapore society. Source B shows that “the government hold more cultural
gatherings and social outings to help the two groups (Singaporeans and Foreigners) to mix,
getting new arrivals to attend English courses and an orientation programme for new citizens
to learn more about Singapore’s history, heritage and institutions. Also, Source C states that
“The Community Integration Fund (CIF) has disbursed $5.1 million out of $10 million, to
about 220 projects and has allotted another $3.1 million to new spending”. Thus, both
sources show that the government is willing to spend money to integrate foreigners in
Singapore.
2nd PARAGRAPH
Both Sources B and C are different in showing the reason(s) why some foreigners are not
integrating well into Singapore society. / challenges the government met with. Source B
shows that local Singaporeans and foreigners play equal role to ensure integration. The
source shows difficulty of a China-born Singaporean who tries to integrate into Singapore
society but was questioned frequently by locals of her place of birth. Even though she helps
out Singaporeans in residents’ committee (RC), and love Singapore, she feels that both local
and foreigners need to understand each other better, put aside their differences and open
their hearts, to integrate well. On the other hand, Source C suggests that reasons why
foreigners are not integrating well could be due to difficulties in finding employment, and low
participation in national service and the civil service. These could be the root reasons why
some foreigners find it difficult to integrate with local society.
3rd PARAGRAPH
Sources B and C are different in their purposes. From Source B, we can see that despite
government’s effort in trying to integrate foreigners into Singapore society, many foreign-
born Singaporeans and foreigners still face obstacles and unwelcoming remarks from locals.
Therefore, this source is trying to convince local-born Singaporeans to be more receptive
towards foreigners and new citizens. They should adopt a more open-minded attitudes
towards foreigners and learn to be more inclusive. With that, they would better integrate with
the local people. On the other hand, Source C is a comment from a government official. He
feels that the government has put in much effort to integrate the local and foreigners in
Singapore. However, organising events and spending money to create opportunities for the
two groups to interact are insufficient and effective only to a certain extent. He wants to
convince foreigners who viewed Singapore as their new home to participate actively in local
activity and system like National Service. He believes that the problem of integration can be
solved if foreigners are committed to integrate with the Singapore society. Thus the problem
lies in the foreigners living in Singapore.
54

Practice Questions (Comparison)
Study Sources B and C.
How different are the sources about the relationship between socio-economic status
(SES) and educational opportunities? Explain your answer. [7]
Is socio-economic status a determining factor for a child’s educational

opportunities in Singapore?
Background Information
In general, education plays a significant role in our lives as it determines how one
can achieve financial and social independence in our adult lives. Higher level of
education is directly linked to a higher income, a more comfortable life and better
health. In Singapore, factors such as one’s socio-economic status (SES), gender,
race, immigration status being directly linked to a educational opportunities has
constantly been a debate.
Therefore, the Singapore government has constantly made adjustments to a series

of financial assistance programmes in order to provide a fair and inclusive system
that would ensure that the benefits of education be made available to all.
Source B Adapted from a Straits Times article on tuition in Singapore
The survey of 500 parents, conducted by The Straits Times and research company
Nexus Link, found that seven in 10 enrolled their children in extra classes. The
median amount a month spent on tuition for pre-school was $155, for primary school,
$205, and for secondary school, $260. School examinations such as the O levels and
PSLE could also be adding to the pressure for parents to ensure their children do
well in them. That pushes parents to pay for expensive private tuition.
Some parents, such as businesswoman Clara Tan, 38, swear by the importance of
tuition. "After two years, my daughter's grade in maths went from B to A and she is
less fearful of the subject. So, for me, it is worth the $400 I pay every month."
Source C A parent’s response to popular opinion about the effects on SES on

education in Singapore, published in The Straits Times
What I want to say is this - do not be hung up on the idea that you must be wealthy or
live in private property for your child to succeed in school. If you have this mindset
and rub it off on your children, it may become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I am a heartlander from the working class, my children are not academically very
bright, but they managed to get into the Integrated Programme (IP) through the
strategy I have outlined:
- Showing an interest in learning how the education system works;
- Thinking and proactively developing a strategy and path for their children; and
- Devoting time and effort to realise that strategy.
If my children can do it, there are many others out there who can too.
55

1b) Study Sources B and C. How different are the sources about the relationships
between SES and educational opportunities ? Explain your answer. [7]
Lev Descriptors Mark

el s
L1 Describe source, no valid comparison 1-2m
OR
Comparison unsupported
L2 One-sided comparison (only provides similarity or different) 3-4m

Award 4 marks to more developed answer
Example 1:
The sources differ on the correlation between SES and educational
opportunities.(factor of comparison) Source B shows that a child’s
SES is correlated to his/her quality of education, as reflected in how
there are more students of affluent backgrounds in the IP schools as
compared to those in the government schools. This is evident in 40.7%
of the students in Type 1 secondary schools have a monthly household
income of over $10,000, which it is only 7% in government schools. This
is different from Source C, which implies that a child’s SES is
independent from his educational opportunities. In the response, the
parent highlighted that as ‘a heart lander from the working class, my
children are not academically very bright, but they managed to get into
the IP’, suggesting that children in Singapore are given the same
educational opportunities despite their SES.
Example 2:
Both sources are similar in stating that the gap between SES and
educational opportunities can be overcome with various strategies
(factor of comparison). Source B states that “School
examinations…adding to pressure for parents to ensure their children
do well. That pushes parents to pay for expensive private tuition.” This
suggests that students of low SES can have access to equal education
opportunities through tuition, implying that there is a strategy to
overcome. Similarly, in Source C, the parent suggests 3 strategies,
such as “devoting time and effort to realise that strategy” to overcome
the gap.
Other similarity:
Both sources are similar in stating that regardless of SES, a parent’s
effort would assist their children in education
Both sources are similar in stating that the popular opinion of

Singaporeans is that high SES would allow one access to more
education opportunities.
L3 Two sided comparisons (1 difference, 1 similarity), supported 4-5m
56

L4 Compare purposes/tones of both source, supported 6-7m
Award 7m for more developed answers
Sources B and C are different in terms about the correlation between

SES and education opportunities as they have different intent. Source
B is more neutral in its presentation as its intention is to report
(intent) on a trend in the society. It presents factual information
such as ‘seven in 10 enrolled their children in extra classes.’ O levels
and PSLE could also be adding to the pressure for parents to ensure
their children do well’. These indicate that the source is objective in its
reporting of the trend of tuition in Singapore. In doing so, Straits Times
wish to keep its readers updated and continue to be aware of the trend
in education. Source C, in contrast, is optimistic in his opinion towards
the effects of SES on education in Singapore. He also relayed that ‘If
my children can do it, there are many others out there who can too’,
which suggests that he is not only optimistic, but also encouraging in
his opinion, seemingly trying to convince (intent) the other
Singaporean parents (audience) that one’s SES need not necessarily
determine a child’s education options. Thus, sources B and C differ as a
result of their contrasting intent.
57

4. RELIABILITY
What is Reliability?
How does a ‘RELIABILITY’ • How reliable is this source about…?

Question look like? • Is the source fair?
• Is the source telling the truth?
• Is the source correct? (Besides facts,
you can look at time period/ place and
event)
• Is the source lying?
• Does the source prove that ...
• Is the source wrong?
• Does Source B surprise you in what it
says about Lee Hsien Loong?
question-type? Q: How reliable is this source as evidence
answer.
A: Source A is reliable as evidence in terms
______ (Pertaining to immigration in
Germany).

General Marking Scheme for ‘RELIABILITY’.
L3 Reliable in content (facts), supported + cross-reference to 4-5m

contextual knowledge/other sources.
Unreliable in content based on contradiction or false information,

supported + cross-reference to contextual knowledge/other sources
L4 Reliability based on purpose, supported i.e. explains extent of 6m

reliability based on motives of the author - who is speaking,
target audience, intended outcome) + Describe the context of
the source.
Look at exaggerated words, one-sidedness, opinion/judgment,
relevant information deliberately left out.
58

How should your RELIABILITY answer look like?
How reliable is this source in telling you about social integration in Singapore?
Explain your answer. [7]
1st PARAGRAPH
This source is a reliable one in telling me about the difficulties of social integration in
Singapore between foreigners and local-born Singaporeans. In the source, the Singaporean-
born Indian feels that it is getting more tedious to integrate with the foreigners because of
their reluctance in interacting with locals, perhaps due to their better socio-economic
backgrounds. Many choose to live and interact within their small social circles. [3m] This is
supported by Source C which mentions that “…Some of these concerns include the high
percentage of immigrant unemployment and low commitment and participation in national
service.” Thus, both sources show that foreigners are not integrating well into Singapore
society. [4m]
2nd PARAGRAPH
This source is unreliable in showing that foreigners are not integrating well into Singapore
society. In the source, the Singaporean-born Indian mentions that “..To them (Indians from
india), Singapore is the place to be, they have everything they need here. It’s a different
breed, and we are getting the best kind of Indians. We need such talents, but the challenge
is also for the to integrate as they tend to congregate together.”[3m] However, this is
challenged by Source B where a China-born Singaporean who helps out Singaporeans in
need at a residents’ committee, feels proud to be a Singaporean and hopes to be accepted
into the local society [5m]
3rd PARAGRAPH
This source is unreliable in purpose because the Singaporean-born Indian seems to have
some personal grievances towards the Indian expatriates/foreign talent in Singapore. In the
source, he refers to the Indian expatriates as those “talented Indians” and mentions about “a
certain amount of friction” between foreigners and locals. He is also frustrated that foreigners
are not integrating enough in Singapore as they tend to form their own enclaves. However,
this source only represents the opinion of a local and does not really tell us about how social
integration is taking place in Singapore between other foreigners and locals. [6m]
OR
Source C is reliable in purpose in showing the challenges of social integration in Singapore.

In this source, a Singaporean-born Indian gives his own opinion on social integration
between foreigners and local-born Singaporeans. The Singaporean-born Indian analyses
and gives reasonable explanation of why integration is much more difficult compared to
Singapore in her earlier days, referring to foreigners with higher socio-economic status. Due
to their socio-economic background, it is difficult to convince foreign expatriates to practice
and follow the Singapore system and beliefs. He concludes by saying that it will definitely
take more time and effort for foreigners and Singaporeans to understand each other. By
saying that, he hopes that the government could come out with better measures to cope with
59

integration between foreigners and locals. [7m]
Practice Questions (Reliability)
Study Source C.
How reliable is this source? Explain your answer. [7]
How effective is the No-Fly List by the US government?
Read this carefully. It may help you answer some of the questions.
Preventive measures are vital in reducing a country’s vulnerability to transnational terrorist

threats. Some countries do so by restricting air travel of suspected terrorists within, into and
out of the countries. Since 2001, the USA has actively implemented a No-Fly List which
contains names of individuals who are known or suspected terrorists. Americans who are
outside of the USA and placed on the list will not be allowed to board any plane back to the
USA. Non-Americans based in the USA who are placed on the list would not be allowed to
board a plane to return to their home countries. These restrictions are intended to ensure
security of the countries and the passengers travelling by air. However, the No-Fly List was
also deemed by some as violating the right of individuals to have freedom of movement. It
was also criticized for lack of transparency in why individuals are placed in the list. There are
around 47000 names in the No-Fly List today. Study the following sources to assess whether
the no-Fly List by the US government is effective.
Source C: A US radio talk show host questions former US Security Department

official Stewart Baker, 5 August 2010.
Baker: The problem is there are certain people are dangerous and shouldn't be on planes.
We’re just not going to let them on the plane due to our concern for the safety of others on the
plane.
Host: So is it the position of the U.S. government, that even if the cost of potentially removing
the rights of one citizen and not having a clear process to clear his name from the list is worth
it, if you can bar someone from the country who may have an evil purpose, even if that person
is a citizen.
Baker: The no-fly list has always included some Americans. And their only real appeal is this
process that goes through DHS* asking them to review the evidence, and then asking for an
administrative law judge to review that determination.
*DHS: It is government traveller redress inquiry program in the US, where individuals in the no-fly list
can appeal or seek help to resolve travel related issues.
60

Level Band Descriptor Marks
L1 Reliable, answers based on provenance or description 1m

Award 1m for answers based on provenance or description.
e.g. Source C is reliable as evidence as both the interviewer and interviewee are
Americans. They can represent their country in these conversations.
L2 Reliable, answers based on the rationale of no-fly list or the negative impact 2-3m
of the list (Inference of Baker or Host)
Award 3m for supported inferences of either Baker or Host
e.g. Source C is reliable in understanding the rationale of the no-fly list. It is for
safety reasons. This is shown by Baker’s comment that “The problem is there are
certain people are dangerous and shouldn't be on planes. We’re just not going to
let them on the plane due to our concern for the safety of others on the plane.”
This means that it was necessary to bar someone from boarding the plane to
prevent potential terrorist attacks. Hence C is reliable.
e.g. Source C is reliable in understanding the why the no-fly list is ineffective. It is
shown in C that “So is it the position of the U.S. government, that even if the cost
of potentially removing the rights of one citizen and not having a clear process to
clear his name from the list is worth it.” This implies that the policy is clearly
flawed and without regard for human rights. Hence C is reliable.
L3 Not reliable due to cross reference (checking on Baker’s comments) 4m
e.g. Source C is not reliable after cross reference to Source F. Both sources
disagree on the ease in seeking review over the No-Fly List. In F, the inflexibility
of the system resulted in a Malaysian professor taking It took her 8 years and $4
million dollars to do so.” This means that DHS was ineffective as she had to go
through the federal courts to seek justice over a police error of “checked the
wrong box on her form.” This disagrees with the ease in which people can go
through DHS to review the evidence. Hence C is not reliable.
5-6m
Not Reliable due to motive and purpose of Baker
Award 4m for answers with both motive and purpose, supported.
Source C is not reliable as it was by the former US Security department official

Stewart Baker. As a former security department official, he played a role in
drafting the No-Fly policy. Hence he is unlikely to speak ill of the policy he is part
of and the government he used to work with. This is shown in C that Baker was
justifying why the no-fly list should continue as “we’re just not going to let them on
the plane due to our concern for the safety of others on the plane,” and continues
to defend it after being questioned by the host. The purpose is to inform
Americans why the No-Fly List is important and fair. This is so that Americans will
continue to support the No-Fly List. C is unreliable.
61

5. UTILITY
What is utility?
How does a ‘UTILITY’ Question • How useful is this source about…?

look like? • Is the source useless?
• How useless is this source in telling the
truth?
question-type? Q: How useful is this source as evidence
answer.
A: Source A is useful as evidence in terms
______ (Pertaining to immigration in
Germany).

General Marking Scheme for ‘UTILITY’.
L3 Useful based on content (facts), supported + cross-contextual 2-3m

knowledge
L4 Not useful based on limitations of source content (vague 4-

information such as information too general or insufficient 5m
information or false information), supported + cross-contextual
knowledge
L5 Useful/Not Useful based on Reliability/Unreliable in purpose 6m

(explains extent of usefulness based on motives of the author- who
is speaking, target audience, intended outcome). In the process, you
must show exaggerated/loaded words, one-sidedness based on
missing information, opinion /judgement, supported with evidence.
L6 Overall doubts Reliability but yet emphasizes on usefulness (based 7m
on attitude/perspective/action of the author or based on time)
This level only kicks when the purpose not useful because it is
unreliable.
62

How should your UTILITY answer look like?
Study Source E.
How useful is this source in understanding social integration in Singapore? Explain
your answer. [7]
1st PARAGRAPH
Source E is useful in understanding social integration in Singapore. Source E is an account

from a blogger about his journey to becoming a Singapore citizen. It shows that this new
citizen is enjoying his journey and feels that the “Singapore Citizenship (SC) journey” is very
meaningful and informative in helping him understand his role as a Singapore citizen. He
also mentions that “although many of the stuff were taught to me during civics lesson and
social studies in my primary and secondary school days, I still took the effort to read every
slide and every word.” It shows the great excitement and passion in becoming a new citizen.
[3m] This can be supported by source A which shows a group of foreign workers and local
students enjoying themselves in games organised by the National Integration Council. [4m]
2nd PARAGRAPH
Source E is not useful in understanding social integration in Singapore. Source E is from an

account of a blogger who recently received his citizenship. In the source, we can see that
this blogger has lived in Singapore for quite some time and even received his secondary
school education in Singapore. “Although many of the stuff were taught to me during civics
lesson and social studies in my primary and secondary school days…” Thus, this source
may not be the best example to show that integration is successful in Singapore. [3m]
Source B, for instance, shows how a China-born Singaporean faced difficulty when trying to
integrate with local society, “I love Singapore. Will where I was born always matter?”
Therefore, it is not so straightforward to say whether all foreigners could integrate or not with
local society.[5m]
3rd PARAGRAPH
This source is not useful due to its limitation in giving a good representation of how
foreigners integrate with locals. It shows a blogger’s account about his journey to becoming
Singapore citizen. Due to his educational background and long period of time living in
Singapore, this naturalised citizen has already integrated well with the local society. His
account shows much excitement and happiness when he was finally granted citizenship by
the Singapore government. However, this source is not useful as we can see that many
foreigners in Singapore are still not integrating well with locals and even if they tried to, they
were not well-received due to their accent or physical appearance.
4th PARAGRAPH (if necessary)
Even though this source is not useful due to its writer’s background, it is useful in telling us
that Singapore’s education system has played an important role in integrating foreigners
(foreign students) with the locals. Due to his positive experiences living in Singapore, the
blogger is very excited and more than willing to becoming a new citizen of Singapore.
63

Practice Questions (Utility)
Study Source D.
How useful is the source as evidence that SES will determine one’s educational
opportunities in Singapore? Explain your answer. [7]
Is socio-economic status a determining factor for a child’s educational

opportunities in Singapore?
In general, education plays a significant role in our lives as it determines how one
can achieve financial and social independence in our adult lives. Higher level of
education is directly linked to a higher income, a more comfortable life and better
health. In Singapore, factors such as one’s socio-economic status (SES), gender,
race, immigration status being directly linked to a educational opportunities has
constantly been a debate.
Therefore, the Singapore government has constantly made adjustments to a series

of financial assistance programmes in order to provide a fair and inclusive system
that would ensure that the benefits of education be made available to all.
Source B Adapted from a Straits Times article on tuition in Singapore
The survey of 500 parents, conducted by The Straits Times and research company
Nexus Link, found that seven in 10 enrolled their children in extra classes. The
median amount a month spent on tuition for pre-school was $155, for primary school,
$205, and for secondary school, $260. School examinations such as the O levels and
PSLE could also be adding to the pressure for parents to ensure their children do
well in them. That pushes parents to pay for expensive private tuition.
Some parents, such as businesswoman Clara Tan, 38, swear by the importance of
tuition. "After two years, my daughter's grade in maths went from B to A and she is
less fearful of the subject. So, for me, it is worth the $400 I pay every month."
Source D An account of a parent’s involvement in his child’s education, posted

on an online blog.
More money will ensure that your kid goes to a school of your choice. Why?
Enrichment classes are not cheap. Most average income household staying in HDB
will not be able to afford unless it’s a one-child family. By Primary 3, you must
start to pay extra attention to your child so that he can maintain a score to go to a
Special Assistance Programme (SAP) or Integrated Programme (IP) school. (general
trend in Singapore/high cost in education)
64

My son is now in Secondary 1 in an IP school, which he got in through the Direct
School Admission (DSA) based on his interest in music. We have spent quite a bit
on fees for music courses, which he attended since he was in Primary 2. Many
enrichment courses, such as those like the "Preparing your child for PSLE" as
advertised in The Straits Times, costs a least a thousand of dollars, so an average
heartlander sure can’t afford it. (own experience)
Source E A Ministry of Education poster about the adjustment to the Edusave

Bursary
*Madrasahs: Islamic religious school
1c) Study Source D. How useful is the source as evidence that SES will determine
one’s educational opportunities in Singapore? Explain your answer. [7]
65

Lev Descriptors Marks
el
L1 Usefulness based on provenance of the source, answers at face 1
value.
L2 Usefulness based on content/claim 2-3m
Award 3 marks for more developed answers
Example:
Source D is useful as evidence that SES will determine one’s education
opportunities. as it states that expensive enrichment classes are
essential to sustaining a child’s education. This is evident in “by primary
3, you must start to pay extra attention to your child so that he can
maintain a score to go to a SAP or IP school.”(evidence) Source D
suggests that these enrichments are expensive and hence only those
with high SES can afford the luxury of providing their children the
educational opportunities.(linking)
L3 L2+cross-referencing to other sources to support AND/OR to 4-5m
challenge the claim
Example:
Source D is useful as evidence that SES will determine one’s education
opportunities as it states that expensive enrichment classes are
essential to sustaining a child’s education. This is evident in “by primary
3, you must start to pay extra attention to your child so that he can
maintain a score to go to a SAP or IP school.” Source D suggests that
these enrichments are expensive and hence only those with high SES
can afford the luxury of providing their children the educational
opportunities. This is supported by Source B, which also reports that
enrichments such as tuition, which are expensive, are important. As
Clara Tan has said “it is worth the $400 I pay every month”. Source B
also implies that SES is a determining factor for one’s education
opportunities. (link)
Example:
Source D is not useful as it provides false information when it says that
children of low SES will not be able to afford enrichment programmes.
This claim is challenged by Source E, which states that enrichment
programmes remains affordable with government subsidy given
through edusave contribution. This is evident in “Edusave contribution
will be extended to all Singapore citizens aged 7 to 16,” which suggests
that children of all SES will be able to take up enrichment classes at
lower cost. Thus, Source D is not useful as it provides false information.
L4 Usefulness based on purpose of source 6-7m

Source D is useful based on its purpose. Source D is an opinion of a
parent who had depended on his financial ability to strengthen his
66

child’s competency so as to get his child better educational opportunity,
such as in a SAP or IP school. This suggests that his intention was
probably to share his opinion on the unaffordability of good education
in Singapore. In doing so, he probably hopes that other parents will
become more aware of the cost of education in Singapore and better
prepare for their children’s education. As the parent’s intention is
merely to share and raise awareness towards cost of education in
Singapore, it does not make the source biased and hence is useful
as it is reliable.
6. EVALUATION
What is evaluation?
How does a ‘EVALUATION’ • ‘The policy of employing foreign

Question look like? manpower has had a negative impact on
Singapore.’ Using sources in this case
study, explain how far you would agree
with this statement?
• How far do the sources support that the
policy of employing foreign manpower
has had a negative impact on
Singapore?
question-type? Q: ‘The policy of employing foreign
manpower has had a negative impact on
Singapore.’ Using sources in this case
study, explain how far you would agree with
this statement?
A: Source A agrees that the policy of
employing foreign manpower has had a
negative impact on Singapore…

67

General Marking Scheme for ‘EVALUATION’.
Level 1 1m
Writes about statement, no valid source use
Level 2 Yes/No, supported by valid source use. 2-4m
Finds evidence that The policy of employing foreign manpower

has had a negative impact on Singapore *And Finds evidence
The policy of employing foreign manpower do not have a
negative impact on Singapore, clearly supported
Level 3 Yes + No, Supported by valid source use. 5m-10m

i.e. Both elements of L2 (5m-8m)
Note: Consideration on number of sources used and the quality

of analysis in deciding on marks in L2 & L3
** To score additional 2 marks, candidates can take any one of

the these 3 routes:
 Through analyzing at least one source in relation to its

reliability, utility and sufficiency
ALTERNATIVELY, Analyse the source beyond face value

– doubt the source based on vagueness or purpose of
the author (able to detect biasness based on motive of
the author) - pick any one source which is bias and has a
(propaganda) purpose to show that even though the source
portrays the policy of employing foreign manpower has had a
negative impact on Singapore., it cannot be trusted and thus
can only be taken at face value (on the surface)
• By sharing example(s) from their contextual

knowledge
• By giving a balanced conclusion/resolution
This allows scope for candidates to decide what comes

more naturally for them, and will invite meaningful thinking,
without making any of the above a direct requirement.
E.g. When evaluating each source, begin the paragraph by answering the question (topic
sentence)i.e. whether that particular source shows whether The policy of employing
foreign manpower had positive or negative impacts; or the source shows that it was
negative only to a certain extent as the source also shows that in other areas it was
not very effective.
68

How should your EVALUATION answer look like?
1st PARAGRAPH
Topic Statement of Paragraph - The policy of employing foreign manpower has had a
negative impact on Singapore. Evidence + Explanation – Some of the sources show that
using foreign manpower has caused Singaporeans to fear for their own job security. For
instance in Source B, 44.8% felt that their job security was threatened by the influx of
foreign workers. In Source D, even though it is a day for celebrating international migrants,
the Minister of Manpower mentions that some local people are opposed to foreign workers.
For him to make that admission on such an occasion must be a sign that feelings against
foreign workers are running high. In the last part of Source C, the writer, who is generally in
favour of foreign workers, says that the government has passed a legislation to make it
difficult to hire them. This action was taken in 2013, possibly as a result of the findings of
surveys such as that seen in Source B which reflected the various fears in the hearts of
Singaporeans posed by foreign manpower. Source E shows most clearly that dislike of
foreign workers is quite possibly a threat to the stability and harmony of Singapore. For
people to protest like this, they must have felt very strongly that Singaporeans were being
pushed out.
2nd PARAGRAPH
Topic Statement of Paragraph - The policy of employing foreign manpower has had a
positive impact on Singapore. Evidence + Explanation – Source A shows that Singapore’s
productivity is higher than it might have been if foreign workers were not contributing to the
economy. Source C also list all the jobs that foreign workers do in Singapore, such as
building and domestic work. The Singaporean blogger points out that these are the kind of
jobs Singaporeans do not want to do themselves so companies have no choice but to
employ foreigners. If there was no one in Singapore doing construction work, for example, it
would be hard to see how the economy could continue to grow. Likewise in Source D, the
minister of Manpower points out that foreign manpower is important for Singapore’s as they
make up one third of the workforce and are vital to Singapore’s development and progress.
The foreign worker who wrote Source F also states that workers like himself have made an
important contribution to the country. His comments about his friends suggest that
Singaporeans have been welcoming to him and appreciate his presence among them.
3rd PARAGRAPH
Source E seems to show very clearly that Singaporeans see foreign manpower as having a
negative impact and that people want Singapore to give preference to Singaporeans.
However, this photograph is unreliable and may be giving a distorted image. In the first place
this is only one photograph from the Labour Day Rally. The picture may have been taken
because it was not typical of the whole of the demonstration. We do not know from this
photograph how many people attended the rally and how representative of Singaporean
opinion the sentiments expressed in this picture might be. There is a good chance that the
photographer took this picture because he thought it was a striking image which could strike
a chord with some in Singapore. However, this image alone does not prove that manpower
69

is a bad thing – or even that all Singaporeans think that way. (+2)
OR
I agree that the policy of employing foreign manpower in Singapore has had a negative
impact on Singapore. In Source D, the Minister of Manpower is addressing foreign workers
on International Migrants Day. He seems keen to reassure foreign workers that they are
highly valued and are appreciated by the government and people of Singapore. He may be
doing this because he is concerned about the threat to social harmony in Singapore. This
threat to social harmony is true because from what I know, at the end of 2013 when there
were riots in the Little India area of Singapore involving migrant workers, some voiced
concern that employing foreign manpower was undermining the stability of society. [+2]
OR
There is definitely some positive impact from the foreign manpower policy. Much essential
work is done in Singapore by foreign workers and the low birth rate means that there is not
enough Singaporeans to do this work. By employing foreign professionals, Singapore can
stay more competitive and can learn from their experience and skills. However, there are
concerns that the policy has gone too far and capable Singaporeans are losing out to
foreigners. [here the conclusion talks about the consequence] - As suggested in Source B, it
would be sad if talented youngsters had to emigrate in order to find good positions when
they could be employed back home. The sources show that there two sides of to the
argument, that the perspectives for each side is valid and reasonable and that the
government is responding to find a harmonious solution. [+2]
Has the impact of globalisation been positive to Singapore?
Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions.
Globalisation describes the increased movement of products, knowledge and people

across countries and increased inter-connectedness among countries. The impact of
globalisation are far and wide, including in the economic, political, cultural, social,
environmental and security spheres. While it is generally acknowledged by many
that globalisation generates endless opportunities for individuals and societies to
grow and prosper, there is also an equally great number of people who strongly
believe globalisation brings about exploitation of the poor and less educated. The
recent developments in the West, including Brexit in the United Kingdom and the
successful Trump presidency in the USA, have been cited by political commentators
as evidence of a partial rejection of globalization. The Singapore government has
also noted that globalisation is a ‘double-edged sword’. While the country has
benefitted immensely from it, economic uncertainties and even a downturn can also
take place anytime. Hence, has the impact of globalisation been positive for
Singapore?
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Source A: A chart showing, in percentages, peoples’ thoughts about their lives
under globalisation, extracted from a report by Stephanie Thomson,
Editor at the World Economic Forum 2016.
Source B: A cartoon depicting the impact of globalisation published in a German

educational publication on 13 April 2012.
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Source C Adapted from a speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, published
online on Channel News Asia website, 26 October 2015.
Globalisation and technological advances are disrupting industries and

displacing workers, and these are challenges that Singapore workers and
companies will have to face, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the opening
dinner of the NTUC National Delegates Conference. Mr Lee warned that
Singapore will have to be prepared for a slowdown and possibly even a
downturn. (However, PM Lee also said) we can't resist globalisation and
technology, because if we try to do that our economy will stagnate, our workers
will become uncompetitive and Singapore will be left behind. PM Lee said that
the state should also aim to "mitigate the excesses and negative effects of a
market system" and give Singaporeans better protection in a less stable
economic environment. To this end, the Government has rolled out the
Progressive Wage Model to help upgrade the skills and wages of low-income
workers like security guards and cleaners, and other initiatives like Medishield
Life and Silver Support are also in the works
Source D Adapted from a news report on DPM Tharman’s address during an

International Monetary Fund seminar on 9 October 2016.
Globalisation has been a big plus for many countries, said Deputy Prime Minister
Tharman, countering critics who have made it fashionable to divert attention from
failures in domestic policies by hitting out at globalisation. Speaking at a seminar
on inequality on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank
annual meetings, Mr. Tharman, who is also Coordinating Minister for Economic
and Social Policies, stressed that globalisation has been a positive force in the
world even though it has recently become the "new fashion" to blame it for all
manner of ills. … "It (globalisation) has been a huge plus for humanity. It has
been the way in which a large group of people living in emerging countries have
begun to converge on the achievements of advanced countries and that process
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is still continuing, Far too much is being made of the impact of globalisation on
equality, … and not enough has been made about domestic policy failure" he
said.
Source E An excerpt from an article from TIME Magazine, published on 28 May

2014.
Arguably no other place on earth has so engineered itself to prosper from

globalization – and succeeded at it. The small island nation of 5 million people
boasts the world’s second-busiest seaport, a far higher per-capita income than its
former British overlord*, and a raft of number-one rankings on lists ranging from
least-corrupt to most-business-friendly countries. So long as globalization
continues apace, the place thrives.
* colonial master
Source F An excerpt from a social commentary blog on 9 August 2012.
Globalisation has led to the great influx of foreign workers. In 1990, 86% of the
population comprised Singaporean citizens. By 2010, this had fallen to 63%.
This means that nearly four in ten here are non-citizens. In low paying jobs,
foreigners are favoured because they are a source of cheap labour. In higher
paying jobs, foreigners are still favoured as they are not required for national
service. Undoubtedly, being treated like a second class citizen in your own
country is not pleasant at all. You feel pride when groups of people share the
same kind of culture and historical roots. However with so many immigrants,
many Singaporeans feel like strangers in their own country.
Level Descriptors Marks
L1/1 Write about statement with no valid use of source 1
The positive impacts of globalization on Singapore definitely

outweighs the negative impacts.
L2/2-4 Yes OR No with valid use of sources 2-4
Award 2m for Yes OR No with valid use of 1 source
Award 3m for Yes OR No with valid use of 2 sources
Award 4m for Yes OR No with valid use of 3 sources
Yes:
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Sources B: PM Lee highlights the importance of globalisation
and how the country’s economy and workers depended heavily
on it (“we can't resist globalisation and technology, because if we
try to do that our economy will stagnate, our workers will become
uncompetitive and Singapore will be left behind”)
Source D: DPM Tharman emphasizes the crucial role

globalisation plays for many countries and even humanity (ie. “a
big plus for many countries”; “positive force in the world”; “a huge
plus for humanity”; “emerging countries have begun to converge
on the achievements of advanced countries”)
Source E: highlighted the progress that Singapore has made as

a result of globalisation (ie. “no other place on earth has so
engineered itself to prosper from globalization”)
OR
No:
Sources A: chart highlighted how globalisation has brought

about more negative impact than positive impact for the 17
countries surveyed (only 4% of people surveyed in Singapore felt
lives were better under globalization; only 1 out of the 17
countries surveyed felt lives were better)
Source B: cartoon highlights the imbalanced and unfair relations

between globalisation and localism where the former will always
have an unfair advantage over the latter (ie. unfair boxing match
between globalization and localism)
Source C: PM highlighted the negative impacts that globalisation

will bring about to not just workers but industries and even the
country’s economy as a whole (ie. “globalization … are disrupting
industries and displacing workers”)
Source F: elaborated on how the employment for local citizens

has been very badly affected due to the influx of foreign workers
brought about by globalisation (ie. “foreigners preferred in both
low and high paying jobs” & “many Singaporeans feel like
strangers in their own country”)
L3/5-8 Yes AND No with valid use of sources 5-8
L4/9- Bonus 2 marks for any one of the following: 9-10

10
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Analyze one source in relation to its reliability, utility or sufficiency
Globalisation brings about both positive and negative impact to

any country. As shown in Source B, although globalisation might
lead to slowdown and even downturn of the economy, it is still
very important for the competitiveness of Singapore’s workers
and economy. Source B is a reliable source as it is taken from a
speech by the Prime Minister, who as Prime Minister, would have
a greater and deeper understanding of the impact of globalisation
on Singapore. Furthermore, PM Lee was also very objective in
this speech as he presented both the positive as well as negative
impacts of globalisation which makes this source a reliable one.
Analyze one source by using contextual knowledge
While globalisation brings about both positive and negative

impacts to all countries, Source A suggests that most countries
now feel that the impact is more negative than positive. Only 1
out of 17 countries (China) surveyed feel that things are getting
better for them as a result of globalisation. Based on my
contextual knowledge, the recent Brexit, where the British
citizens voted to leave the European Union, was brought about,
in large part, by the negative impact of globalisation. This shows
that the negative impact of globalisation outweighs the positive
impact.
Analyze one source to arrive at a balanced conclusion
Globalisation brings about both positive and negative impacts to

all countries. It is a phenomenon that has intertwined most
countries in the world and, therefore, it is something that cannot
be stopped nor ignored and it will continue for many years to
come. As shown in most of the sources, no country can exclude
itself from globalisation. The most important thing that all
countries can do, as pointed out in Source C, is to come up with
sound and constructive policies, like the Progressive Wage
Model, the MediShield Life and Silver Support in Singapore’s
case, to help citizens who might not reap as much positive
impact as others, to be able to continue as a participant of this
globalisation process.
75

F. STRUCTURED-RESPONSE QUESTION
About SRQ
The SRQ comprises one compulsory question of two parts – (a) and (b). The
weightage is 7 marks for Part (a) and 8 marks for Part (b)
The SRQ will have three extracts and you have to read them carefully before
answering the two sub-questions. Extract 1 will be for Part (a) while Extracts 2 and 3
will be for Part (b). Unlike SBQ, the extracts are meant to stimulate your thoughts
only and you are not required to evaluate the extracts when you answer the
questions.
Part (a) requires you to suggest and explain two factors/strategies/consequences/

ramifications in relation to the extract and question. For this question, you may write
answers with the help of PEEL.
Part (b) requires you to explain two factors/strategies/consequences/ramifications in

relation to the extracts and question. After that, weigh the two factors to determine
which one is more important. For this question, you are expected to use the
information you have learnt from your textbook.
SRQ ANSWERING GUIDE
(AHS S4 2017 SS-MYE)

Extract 1
A national cyber security plan must involve individual netizens. Many make themselves
easy targets by not practising proper cyber hygiene. They should use a firewall, maintain
strong passwords, update anti-virus software, and avoid unfamiliar links. Yet they typically
use one computer for surfing, online banking, exchanging trivia and using confidential e-
services.
Extract 2
In both the Nov 2016 Paris attack and Jan 2017 Jakarta attack, the targets chosen were
crowded places with little or no security like shopping malls, concert venues and
restaurants. As a result, under SG Secure, Singapore will increase its coverage of CCTVs
throughout the island, installing cameras in town centres, public walkways and public
transport.
Extract 3
Eight Indonesians were detained by Singapore customs authorities at the Woodlands

Checkpoint on Tuesday (Jan 10) for possessing Islamic State images. The group was not
76

allowed to enter Singapore after the authorities found several of the images on one of their
mobile phones.
(a) Extract 1 shows how a national cyber security plan requires individuals to play their part
as well. In your opinion, explain why it is important to ensure national cyber security in
Singapore. Explain your answer using two reasons.
(b) Extracts 2 and 3 show the protective measures and preventive measures taken by the
government in managing transnational terrorism. Which one do you think is more effective in
keeping Singapore safe from terrorist attacks?
Example of how you are expected to answer the questions.
Part (a)
Paragraph 1 Point - State your first factor/example/consequence

Explain - Explain the first factor/example/consequence
Elaboration - Elaborate the first factor/example/consequence
Link - Link your first factor/example/consequence to the question
Paragraph 2 Point - State your second factor/example/consequence
Explain - Explain the second factor/example/consequence
Elaboration - Elaborate the second factor/example/consequence
Link - Link your second factor/example/consequence to the question
How your answer should look like:
It is to ensure national cyber security because it prevents hackers from stealing

critical data that could compromise on our national security. An example would be
the recent hacking of Mindef’s website in which personal data of 850 NSmen was
stolen. This hacking was a serious case as it demonstrated that there are foreign
parties that are trying to enter our military website to steal sensitive data which can
hit Singapore’s defence if such information is leaked out.
It is important to ensure national cyber security in Singapore because the

carelessness of one individual could result in major losses for the country. For
example, Wikileaks was caused by Julian Assange who felt that it was his duty to
hack into the US Central Intelligence Agency’s database and release confidential
information to everyone in cyberspace. This is an irresponsible and reckless act
which can cause disputes between countries because of the sensitive information
revealed, real or imagined. As such, it is more important to maintain national cyber
security than to allow an individual total freedom to do what he wills in cyber-world as
77

conflict in the virtual world can potentially endanger people’s lives in the real world.
Part (b)
Paragraph 1 Point - State your first factor/example/consequence

Explain - Explain the first factor/example/consequence
Elaboration - Elaborate the first factor/example/consequence
Link - Link your first factor/example/consequence to the question
Paragraph 2 Point - State your second factor/example/consequence
Explain - Explain the second factor/example/consequence
Elaboration - Elaborate the second factor/example/consequence
Link - Link your second factor/example/consequence to the question
Paragraph 3 Weigh the two factors/examples/consequences and conclude
which is more/equal important/effective (depending on question)
Protective measures are effective in keeping Singapore safe from terrorist attacks
because it serves as a deterrence against attacks. Protective measures includes
enhancing surveillance at key installations and public places. For example, the
government increased surveillance at key installations and infrastructure like power
stations and public places with large numbers of people such as Changi Airport. The
Singapore Armed Forces is on the lookout for suspicious characters and items to
safeguard the peace in these places. Individuals who are suspected to have dealings
with terrorists are also put on surveillance under the Internal Security Act to protect
the society against possible reckless acts by these individuals. So as the terrorists
know that surveillance is enhanced in such places and on such people, they would
not be so bold to carry out their attacks.
Preventive measures are effective in keeping Singapore safe from terrorist attacks
because it serves as a deterrence against attacks. Preventive measures includes
effective border control and collaboration between countries. For example, as part of
its commitment to safeguard the region, Singapore collaborates with other member
countries in ASEAN to fight against transnational terrorism through various platforms
such as the ASEAN Counter-Terrorism Workshop where countries exchange best
practice so as to enhance counter-terrrorism cooperation in the region. The
cooperation has yielded positive outcomes for Singapore with Malaysia helping
Singapore recapture its most wanted terrorist, Mas Selamat in 2009 and Indonesia
foiling terrorist plans to launch a rocket to attack Marina Bay Sands from Batam in
2016. Hence, preventive measures are effective as they can help stop the attack and
prevent unnecessary loss of lives.
Both preventive and protective measures are equally important in keeping Singapore
safe from terrorist attacks as both as complementary. Preventive measures ensures
that the threat has difficulty entering the country whilst protective measure ensures
that the threat has difficulty executing destructive within the country.
78

G. PERFORMANCE TASK
Nan Chiau High School

N4 Singapore Conference
Secondary 3 Social Studies
Theme: Challenges facing Singapore
Name: ( ) Class:
Date: Total: 50 marks
Scenario:
The theme this year is “Challenges facing Singapore”. In his 2017 National Day
message, Mr Lee Hsien Loong said 52 years on, Singapore continues to be
preoccupied with urgent issues, both domestically and externally. However, as
the country deals with these challenges, it must also look beyond the horizon
and prepare for the future, and Mr Lee highlighted three such issues: Pre-
school, the war on diabetes and the goal of making Singapore a Smart Nation.
(http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/pm-lees-national-day-rally-speech-all-
you-need-to-know-in-3-minutes) Your job is to identify the problem and come up
with a viable plan to realise it.
This year, 3 main areas can be chosen for your research. You are to work on an
aspect of any of listed topics below:
1. Education
2. Healthcare
3. Making Singapore a Smart Nation
Please note that this project will culminate in the 1st N4 Singapore Conference taking place
in term 3 this year.
 The 3 best Videos and Oral Presentations (decided by Humanities department) will
be showcased in the seminar.
 The 3 best groups in terms of their topical report (decided by EL department) will be
awarded the opportunity to present their excellent work in the seminar.
79

Objectives
The objectives of this project are to:
1. Create awareness in pertinent
Singaporean issues and
challenges and promote active
citizenry;
2. Encourage you to engage in
higher levels of thinking by
evaluating issues and creating
solutions or better ways of doing
things
3. Hone your presentation skills
Before preparing for the presentation and in the process of doing so, you refer to the
assessment criteria to help you in your preparation.
Note: Results will be included in CA2. Marks will be deducted daily for late
submission.
Starting the project

1. These are broad topics, thus, for the topic you are working on, you are required to
decide on a specific aspect of it for your project.
 E.g. Making Singapore a Smart Nation: You can decide to work on a more
specific topic; Making Smart Nation relevant to Older Singaporeans.
2. Research on the aspect – find out more about your topic, especially any issues or
shortcomings that will prevent or hinder the realisation of your topic.
3. Work on the various components to be handed up, separately, for Social Studies
and EL. Component
This component will be graded and will constitute 10% of your Combined Humanities
grade for the year.
You are required to work on the following:
1. A Short Documentary Film (75%)

2. Oral Presentation (25%)
You must now frame the issues or shortcomings you have identified in your research into an
inquiry question.
E.g. Is making Singapore into a Smart Nation relevant to all Singaporeans?
Next, answer the question in a short documentary film that you will make and a topical paper
that you will write.
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1. Short Documentary Film
The objective of this short film is to create awareness about the problem your project is
focusing on; to showcase the team’s position and solution(s) to the issue; and to explain how
these will contribute to the realisation of your team’s topic. Your video must fulfil the following
requirements:
 Length: 2 ½ to 3 minutes (Penalties will be imposed if video exceeds 3min)

 Content - You need to include the following in your video:
o State your team’s vision clearly
o Intro / background to the problem identified (briefly)
o State your team’s question clearly
o Views from different perspectives (supporting and opposing; this should be
the bulk of the video)
o Your team’s position/stand (do you support or oppose; agree or disagree;
explain clearly your decision)
o How will your team’s position/stand help realize the vision you have
developed for Singapore?
 Proper narration of content
 Subtitles are compulsory
 Make your short film interesting by incorporating interviews, authentic materials or
sources, video clips, re-enactments, appropriate music, etc.
o Interviews must be authentic (they CANNOT be staged)
o You may wish to include video clips of news report or documentary films.
Submit your short film in .wmv, .mp4 or .avi format on a Thumb-drive to your respective
SS teachers.
Your group will present their presentation in the 1st and 2nd week of July. Each group will be
given 10 min to present their cases as well as showcase their video to the class.
2. EL Topical Paper
Your topical paper will comprise a collection of sources and a summary paragraph.
i) These sources must be:
 Authentic (They cannot be fabricated; Background of the sources must be cited

properly)
 Varied (Textual & non-textual)
o Textual sources include articles from newspaper reports and magazines,
letters from news forums and online forum discussions from reputable
websites.
o Non-textual sources include photographs, pie charts, statistics, graphs,
political cartoon.
 Length: Each textual source must not be more than 150 words long
 From different perspectives
81

o Both sides of the argument/ Supporting and opposing views
o different stakeholders such govt vs non-govt, national vs international, etc
 Number of sources: You must select 5 authentic sources to represent each side of
your argument. In total, you need 10 sources.
o Note: Of the 5 sources per side, there must be sources articulating the views
of the different stakeholders.
IMPORTANT: For EACH of your 10 sources, explain in English why it is crucial and
how it represents your core arguments (as presented in your short documentary film).
ii) Your summary paragraph should:
 State your team’s position/stand clearly E.g. In conclusion, answering the question
with a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and your reasons for it. (Same as that in your short film)
 Explain at least one proposed solution to the underlying problem(s)
 Not exceed 500 words.
Submit your topical paper to your respective EL teachers.
82

H. PRACTICE ASSIGNMENTS
Catholic High 2017 Prelim Paper
Section A (Source-Based Case Study)
Question 1 is compulsory for all candidates.
Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the
questions.
You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those
sources you are told to use. In answering the questions, you should use your knowledge of
the topic to help you interpret and evaluate the sources.
1 (a) Study Source A.
Why did the newspaper publish the drawing? Explain your answer. [5]
(b) Study Sources B and C.
How similar are the two sources? Explain your answer. [7]
(c) Study Source D.
Are you surprised by it? Explain your answer. [6]
(d) Study Sources E and F.
How far does Source E prove Source F wrong? Explain your answer. [7]
(e) ‘Globalisation does more harm than good’
Using sources in this case study, explain how far you would agree with this [10]
statement.
83

Sweatshops: Are they necessarily evil?
Read it carefully. It may help you answer some of the questions.
Sweatshops are an integral part of today’s global economy. Due to globalization forces,
many companies from the developed countries relocate their businesses to developing
countries in order to lower costs and raise profits. Many branded goods on sale to
consumers in Europe and North America, from footwear and clothing to electronic gadgets,
are made in factory sweatshops. A sweatshop is a negatively connoted term for any working
environment considered to be unacceptably difficult or dangerous or which violates labour
laws in terms of forced overtime and pitiable wage. There are many anti-sweatshops
movements but then many also argue that sweatshops benefit workers in developing
countries.
Study the sources below to assess whether sweatshops are necessarily evil.
Source A: A cartoonist’s view on sweatshops published in an international newspaper
Source B: An excerpt from a newspaper article published in The New York Times
I’m glad that many Americans are repulsed by the idea of importing products made by
barely paid, barely legal workers in dangerous factories. The working conditions are
inhuman. Yet sweatshops are only a symptom of poverty, not a cause, and banning them
closes off one route out of poverty. But would I want to work in a sweatshop? No, of course
not. But I would want even less to pull a rickshaw. In the hierarchy of jobs in poor countries,
sweltering at a sewing machine isn’t the bottom. My views on sweatshops are shaped by
years living in East Asia, watching as living standards soared because of sweatshop jobs.
We should act carefully. Politicians, are you listening?
84

Source C: An excerpt published by a Harvard professor in an academic journal.
There are many politicians going around the country attacking sweatshops and trying to put
legal barriers in the way of people buying from sweatshops. In addition, MNCs like Reebok
and Sears are told to get their South Korean subcontractor in Honduras to lay off fifty
teenage girls. Did these politicians ask what happened to them after they lost their jobs?
Simple. The people they really care about are unionized* garment workers in the United
States. These garment workers will lose jobs to factories relocated overseas because of
globalization. This is their last-ditch effort to prevent foreign competition. The next time you
feel guilty for buying clothes made in a third-world sweatshop, remember this: you’re helping
the workers who made that clothing. Sweatshops are a normal step in economic
development.
*unionized – become members of a trade union
Source D: A cartoon printed in an American Human Rights magazine. It is making

reference to the collapse of building which housed many garment factories in
Bangladesh on 13 May 2013 which killed 1134 people, mostly garment
factory workers.
Source E: A view by a ‘Buy American’ activist aired in a TV interview
85

By boycotting and making sweatshops illegal we will save the lives of many people and
better their conditions. They will no longer get sick due to unsafe conditions and they will get
paid at least the minimum wage so that they would be able to pay for their expenses. They
will not want to work like that. Families would have the opportunity to spend time with their
loved ones and children would have the opportunity to experience childhood. It’s time to buy
goods made in America.
Source F: Views of Cambodians on sweatshops, published by a local newspaper.
“I’d love to get a job in a factory,” said Pim Srey Rath, a 19-year-old woman scavenging for
plastic. “At least that work is in the shade. Here is where it’s hot.”
13-year-old Neuo Chanthou earns a bit less than $1 a day scavenging in the dump. She’s
wearing a “Playboy” shirt and hat that she found amid the filth, and she worries about her
sister, who lost part of her hand when a garbage truck ran over her. “It’s dirty, hot and smelly
here,” she said wistfully. “A factory is better.”
86

Section B (Structured-Response Questions)
Question 2 is compulsory for all candidates.

2 Living in a Diverse Society
Study the extracts carefully, and then answer the questions.
Extract 1:
Singapore has become more socially diverse in recent years, beyond our traditional
differences of race, religion and language. Much of this has come about because the country
has positioned itself at the intersection of global flows. But welcoming what is new and
foreign into our island has meant that Singaporeans, who have become accustomed to a set
number of diversities which are neatly categorised and presented, have had to accept that
these are in a state of flux. These new diversity groups include gender, socio-economic
status, single mothers, the disabled and migrant workers.
Extract 2:
At an international conference on human capital and inequality held in Singapore recently,

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said that social mobility, a goal all
societies across the world are striving towards, is "in trouble" as social gaps continue to
widen.
Extract 3:
Recently there have been concerns and discussion on casual racism faced by people from
minority groups in Singapore, and the prevalence of racial stereotypes in entertainment.
(a) Extract 1 states that Singapore has become more socially diverse in recent years and [7]
Singaporeans need to learn to manage these new diverse groups which are constantly
changing in order to become a more inclusive society.
In your opinion what can Singaporeans do to manage these new diverse groups? Explain
your answer using two measures.
(b) Extract 2 and Extract 3 describe two concerns in a diverse society – social mobility and [8]
prejudice and misconception.
Do you think social mobility is a more serious concern than prejudice and misconception?
Explain your answer.
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Study Source A
Why do you think the cartoonist drew this cartoon? Explain your answer.
[5]
Level Descriptor
L1 Because of the nature of sweatshop 1
E.g. The cartoonist wants to show that sweatshops produce cheap products
L2 Because of the cartoonist feelings/messages the cartoonist wanted to 2-3

convey
Award 2m if writer condemn/criticise sweatshop
Award 3m for inference, supported
Eg: The cartoonist drew this to criticise sweatshop as they grossly

underpaid their workers.
Eg: The cartoonist drew this to highlight the sad plight of the workers in
sweatshops.
Eg: The cartoonist drew this to show the exploitation of workers in
sweatshop
Award 3m if writer condemn/criticise the role of big corporations in the

exploitation of workers in sweatshop / Award up to 4m for good explanation
Eg: The cartoonist drew this to condemn big corporations because they take
advantage of their workers by underpaying them
Eg: The cartoonist drew this to shame those big corporations such as Nike for
excessive profiteering (paying workers 83 cents and selling the shoes for
$250)
L3 L2, plus because of the intended impact on the audience 4-5

To be awarded only if there is an implicit reference to the source. If there is no
reference, award L2/2
To get L3/4, must include what the cartoonist hope to achieve out of the
audience – final outcome with matching audience
If generic audience (reader / people / international community) is given, award
only L3/4 max
* must have source reference
E.g. The writer drew this to criticise corporations / businesses for their
exploitation of workers by grossly underpaying their workers. He wanted to
pressurize governments to implement harsher labour regulation to fight for
fairer pay for the workers / pressurize MNCs/ corporations to review their
wage system and pay more to their workers
OR
to criticise sweatshop for their exploitation of workers and wants the

consumers to stop buying branded retailers items made from sweatshops
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b) How similar are these two sources as evidence about sweatshops? Explain your
answer. [6]
Level Descriptor M
L1 Difference in Provenance 1
Eg. They are different because one comes from a newspaper report while the
other is from a journal
L2 Similarity OR Difference in content 2-3

Award 2 marks for 1 inference / Award 3 marks for supported inference or
additional inference
Similarity in content
Eg. Both sources cite negative impacts of sweatshops
Difference of content
Eg. Both sources offer different reasons against sweatshops. Source B
mentions that poor working conditions is a reason why some people are
against sweatshops as can be seen in “ working conditions are inhuman”.
However, Source C cites protecting domestic jobs as a reason for some
people opposing sweatshops as can be seen in “The people they really care
about are unionized garment workers who will lose jobs to factories relocated
overseas because of globalization. This is their last-ditch effort to prevent
foreign competition”
OR
Unexplained similarity in Purpose

Both sources criticise / condemn politicians for opposing sweatshops.
(L2/3)
L3 Similarity AND Difference in Content (supported) 4
OR
Similarity in point of view (supported)
e.g Both sources support the idea of sweatshops because they bring
economic development / benefits to developing countries
L4 Difference in Tone (Balance vs Biased) 5
Both sources point out a difference in tone. Source B is a more balanced

source compared to Source C. In Source B, the author shares both his
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positive and negative opinions on sweatshops. Although the author agrees
with the fact that sweatshops are exploitative in nature, he ultimately feels that
sweatshops are a good thing as they help raise the living standards of the
poor in developed countries. Source C on the other hand is one-sided and
overwhelming positive about the sweatshops in his opinions, and berates
the politicians for their selfish and self-serving attitudes.
L5 Difference in Purpose 6-7

Award 7m for Similarity in content and difference in purpose (fully supported)
Eg. Both Sources aim to condemn / criticise (intention) politicians

(audience) who are against the idea of sweatshops. In Source B, the
journalist / writer wanted to influence the politicians not to impose stricter
labour laws such that sweatshops will have to close down.
Source C however, is by a professor. His target audience are the

consumers and he wanted the consumers to continue their purchase of
sweatshops products because he reckons the opposition against
sweatshops are politically linked / protectionist movements.
* Note: Target audience could be politicians as well and if this is the case, it
would be similarity in purpose.
1c. Study Source D.

Are you surprised by it? Explain your answer. [6]
Level Descriptor M
L1 Surprise / Not Surprise due to MIsinterpretation 1
L2 Surprised / Not Surprised based on Provenance 2
E.g.: Surprised that an American human Rights magazine would be interested

in affairs in Bangladesh
E.g.: Not surprised as the source is by an American Human Rights magazine
Or
Surprise / Not Surprised using Common Sense answers
E.g. I am surprised because I did not know that so many people (over 1000
people) could die from a single building crash
E.g. I a not surprised because the building standards might not be so
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stringent in a 3rd world country like Bangladesh
L3 Surprised / Not Surprised based on content of Source D 3
E.g. Not Surprised at Source D for showing that building collapse in

Bangladesh because it implies the lack of “burdensome government
regulation” which probably led to compromises in safety standards.
Eg Surprised that lack of burdensome government regulation could lead to

so many deaths
Surprised / Not Surprised based on cross reference to other sources / 4

L4 contextual knowledge
e.g. Not Surprised at Source D for showing that building collapse in

Bangladesh because it implies the lack of government regulation probably led
to compromises in safety standards. This idea can be confirmed by Source B
which also cites “dangerous factories” which workers in developing
countries have to endure.
Cross reference to Background info also possible to show dangerous

working conditions.
L5 Not Surprised explained by critical analysis of provenance 5-6

Award 6 marks for a fully developed answer
Not surprised because the source is by a Human Rights Magazine it is

expected is to highlight human rights abuses. Its intention here is criticise
American corporations / local governments who do not provide safe working
conditions for their workers as seen in “lax in govenrment regulation”. Its
audience would likely be the Bangladesh government / corporations and its
intended outcome would be to get them to improve safety standards in the
workplace for the workers. As it is expected that the magazine would
further its own cause, it is not surprising.
(d) Study Source E and F.
How far does Source E prove that Source F is wrong? Explain your answer.
[7]
Note 1: The issue of right or wrong must be on what the sources say about whether
sweatshops are good or bad place to work
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Note 2: Judgement about yes or no must be consistent with the evidence offered
from the sources except for L1
L1 Undeveloped use of provenance 1
e.g. Source F is not wrong because it is by the Cambodians themselves
L2 Yes based on differences of content 2-3
e.g. Yes it does show Source F is wrong because in Source E the activist is
saying that sweatshops promote “unsafe working conditions” and ill-treats
workers by paying them very little but in source F the Cambodians are
saying that sweatshops offer them a better working conditions compared to
what they have to do to survive outside.
L3 Yes/No, developed evaluation of Source F (without the use of Source 4-5

E)
Based on cross-reference to other sources or evaluation of the

provenance/language of Source C.
[Undeveloped use of provenance: It’s not wrong because it is by the

Cambodians themselves= L1]
e.g. Source F is not wrong because it reflects how the Cambodians really
feel about working in sweatshops. They feel that the working conditions in
the sweatshops are better and safer than the other alternatives outside.
These similar thoughts are also echoed in Source B whereby the author
confirms that working in the sweatshops “isn’t the bottom” in terms of
hierarchy of jobs in poor countries.
L4 No, because of different experiences and different perspectives. 5
L5 Yes/No, developed evaluation of Source F 6-7
Based on cross-reference to other sources or evaluation of the

provenance.
[undeveloped use of provenance: It’s wrong because it’s by a ‘buy

American’ activist= L1]
e.g. Source E does not prove Source F wrong because Source E is

totally unreliable. Source E clearly has a propaganda purpose. As it is a
perspective from a “Buy American’ activist, he has an ulterior motive.
He will want to emphasize the horrific working conditions akin to slavery
being used by sweatshops because his intention is to lobby for a ban on
sweatshops so that consumers would buy more ‘made in America’ goods
or shift the production back to America Its perspective is also one-sided
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and does not take into account the benefits the factory jobs bring to the
local people as emphasized in Source E.
e) ‘Globalisation does more harm than good’
Using sources in this case study, explain how far you would agree with this
statement.
L1 Writes about the statement, no valid source use 1
L2 Yes OR No supported by valid Source use 2-4
Award 2-3 marks for 1 “yes” or 1 “no”

Only Award 4 marks for 2 “Yes” or 2 “no”
Agreement: Source A, B, D, E
A: Implies that globalisation is exploitative in nature towards developing
countries.
B: Implies that workers in developing countries have poor working

conditions and are paid very little / child labour
C: Implies that globalisation has also resulted in a loss of jobs for

developed countries as corporations move their operations overseas
D: implies that workers in developing countries work in unsafe conditions

due to lack of government regulation
E: Implies that workers in developing countries work in unsafe

conditions and are paid very little
Disagreement: Sources B, C, F
B: Implies that globalisation has resulted in higher standards of living to
poor countries
C: seems to suggest that globalisation is helpful as it provides jobs to

people in developing countries and that sweatshops are a normal step
towards economic development
F: Seems to suggest that globalisation has brought better jobs (eg

garment factories) to developing countries as the next best alternative
(rummaging through garbage) is worse
L3 Yes AND No, supported by Valid source use 5-8

(award 5-6 marks for 1 ‘Yes’ and 1 “no”)
Award 7 marks for 2 “yes” and 1 “no” and vice versa)
Only Award 8 marks for 2 “yes” and 2 “no”
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L4 Note: Consideration on number of sources used and the quality of the 1-2
analysis in deciding on marks in L2 and L3
3 Routes
1. Through analysing at least one
source in relation to its reliability, utility or sufficiency
Eg. Source D is unreliable because it is biased. Source D is by a

Human Rights Magazine and hence its main objectives is to highlight
human rights abuses. Its intention here is criticise American corporations
/ local governments who do not provide safe working conditions for their
workers. It uses sarcasm and loaded language by inviting corporations to
“avid burdensome government regulation” and invest in third world
countries, where they can cause death and destruction. Its audience
would likely be the Bangladesh government / corporations and its
intended outcome would be to get them to improve safety standards in
the workplace for the workers.
OR
Source E is unreliable because it is biased. Source E clearly has a

propaganda purpose. As it is a perspective from a “Buy American’
activist, it will want to emphasize the horrific working conditions akin
to slavery being used by sweatshops. Its perspective is also one-sided
and does not take into account the benefits the factory jobs bring to the
local people as emphasized in Source E. Its intention is to lobby for a ban
on sweatshops so that consumers would buy more ‘made in America’
goods.
2. By sharing example (s) from

their contextual knowledge
Accept any plausible example to support source content so long as

contextual knowledge is specific and relevant (based on event, facts,
data)
3. By giving a balanced
conclusion/ resolution
Both sides have valid points. On the one hand, it is not wrong to say that
working conditions and salaries given to workers in sweatshops are
appalling (Source A) but it is also right to say that industrialisation is a
process that most countries have to go through, and sweatshops are part
of this process (Source C). Most critics tend to be from the developed
countries and their criticism stems from comparisons with their own
standards of living.(Source E) The key idea is to strike a balance by
persuading corporations to adopt safer working conditions and good work
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practices in providing jobs to developing countries.
(Students must use specific sources to highlight their points)
Accept any plausible arguments which can demonstrate the validity of
both sides
Sources highlighted must be two of the 4 used earlier.
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Answer LORMS for Sec 4 Prelim 1 2017
Section B
(a Extract 1 states that Singapore has become more socially diverse in recent years
) and Singaporeans need to learn to manage these new diverse groups which are
constantly changing.
In your opinion what can Singaporeans do to manage these new diverse groups? [7]
Explain your answer using two ways.
Level Answer Marks

L1 Describes the topic i.e social diversity 1
Social diversity has its flaws as people may run riot due to disagreements.
L2 Identifies / Describes strategies 2-4
Award 2 marks for identifying one strategy and 3 marks for identifying two
strategies. Award 3 marks for describing one strategy and 4 marks for
describing two strategies.
One way of helping to manage these new diversities is through educating

the new generation about them and how to be more inclusive in schools.
Another way of helping to manage these new diversities is through

homogenisation and National identity – creating a Singaporean identity with
common shared values to unite the different diverse groups.
Another way of helping to manage these new diversities is through creating

policies that are more inclusive and sensitive towards the new diverse
groups.
L3 L2 + Explains strategy 5-7
Award 5-6 marks for explaining one strategy.

Award 6-7 marks for explaining two strategies.
e.g. Examples
One way of helping to manage these new diversities is through educating

the new generation about them and how to be more inclusive in schools.
For example, Singapore has national schools instead of vernacular schools
where everyone gets to mingle with one another, regardless of background.
This helps address socioeconomic diversity as students grow up with others
of different socioeconomic backgrounds. This allows them to interact with
each other and understand the challenges they may face. Furthermore,
through National Education, students can be taught to empathise with those
hailing from lower socio-economic backgrounds, the disabled or even
migrant workers. Through greater understanding, more inclusivity can be
96

achieved in society, thus managing such diversities.
Another way of helping to manage these new diversities is through

homogenisation and National identity – creating a Singaporean identity with
common shared values to unite the different diverse groups. In having a
common national identity, Singaporeans are given common grounds to
bond on. One way to do this is through Nationwide parades such as
National Day and Chinggay. In celebrating their national identity,
Singaporeans of different backgrounds, such as different socio-economic
groups and the disabled are able to focus on their similarities and accept
each other based on them. This helps promote inclusivity, thus managing
such diversities.
Another way of helping to manage these new diversities is through creating

policies that are more inclusive and sensitive towards the new diverse
groups. For instance, the government could offer benefits to non-traditional
family structures such as single mothers and grant them entitlement to
public housing. This would allow us to be more inclusive towards this group
of people, as they previously did not enjoy the same entitlements as other
Singaporeans who got married and formed traditional family structures.
Other possible suggestions:

Building facilities with the disabled in mind
Having community events that include migrant workers
Having forums/dialogue sessions exclusively for these groups, to help
understand those falling into these categories
Celebrating the achievements of those falling in these categories, such as
Singaporean paralympians, or poetry written by migrant workers.
*Note: if there is no explanation that is specific to the “new diversities”, the

explanation marks will not be given. These “new diversities” refer to
categories not included under traditional diversities of race and religion,
such as single mothers, socioeconomic groups, or migrant workers. This is
a test of how well/thoroughly students have read the question.
** Note: Migrant workers and immigrants are not the same thing
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(b) Extract 2 and Extract 3 describe two challenges for Singapore to manage in a
diverse society – social mobility and prejudice and misconception.
Do you think social mobility is a more difficult challenge to overcome compared to

prejudice and misconception? Explain your answer.
[8]
Level Answer Marks

L1 Writes about the topic (i.e diversity) but without addressing the question 1-2
Diversity is fun because having different foods is great.
L2 Describes social mobility AND / OR prejudice and misconception are 3-4

challenges in a diverse society
Award 3 marks for describing social mobility OR prejudice and misconception.

Award 4 marks for describing social mobility AND prejudice and
misconception.
Social mobility is a serious concern to address in a diverse society. It is the

ability of those in the lower socio-economic classes to improve their standards
of living. This allows those working blue-collar jobs to work and aspire
towards white-collar jobs.
Prejudice and misconceptions also serious concerns to address in a diverse

society. They are false preconceived notions that lead us to form opinions of
people who belong to different groups from us. These opinions cause us to
form stereotypes of others, and they can sometimes be negative.
L3 Explains how social mobility AND prejudice and misconception are 5-7
challenges in a diverse society
Award 5-6 marks for explaining social mobility OR prejudice and

misconception.
Award 6-7 marks for explaining social mobility AND prejudice and
misconception.
Social mobility is a serious concern to address in a diverse society. It is the

ability of those in the lower socio-economic classes to improve their standards
of living. This allows those working lower-paying jobs to aspire towards better-
paying jobs to improve their standards of living. In a diverse society, different
socio-economic classes exist as people of different occupations are paid
differently. As a result, some end up richer than others. Over a long time, this
gives rise to socio-economic inequality, where the haves are far richer than
the have-nots. When the inequality gets too extreme, it becomes hard for the
poorer to break out of their circumstances. As a result, the poor remain poor.
For example, the poor in Hong Kong are experiencing bad living conditions as
98

costs of living are becoming increasingly unaffordable for the poor. Thus, lack
of social mobility is a serious concern as it leads to continued suffering if the
poor are unable to earn enough for their daily needs or achieve a higher
socio-economic status.
Prejudice and misconceptions also serious concerns to address in a diverse

society. They are false preconceived notions that lead us to form opinions of
people who belong to different groups from us. These opinions cause us to
form stereotypes of others, and they can sometimes be negative. In a diverse
society, many different groups of people exist, such as different races,
religions and even socio-economic groups. It is inevitable that negative
opinions of other groups may be formed due to a lack of understanding.
These negative stereotypes then become the basis of discriminatory
behaviour. This leads to tensions between the majority and minority groups,
and can potentially lead to more severe consequences such as violent
clashes. For example, the recent Charlottesville protests, which started out as
a demonstration against non-Whites erupted in violence due to underlying
tensions between the groups involved. Thus, prejudice and misconceptions
also serious concerns as the violence could have been prevented if there had
been more understanding between the groups.
L4 Both aspects in L3 plus explains the relative seriousness of social 8

mobility and prejudice and misconception.
Social mobility (example)

While both are serious, social mobility is the more pressing concern. It is
more challenging to address, as many of the poor around the world may slip
through the cracks despite the many initiatives and social safety nets that
have been set up to assist them. For example, in Singapore, even though
there are financial assistance schemes, the poor continue to exist, as it is not
always easy to locate those in need of such assistance. In contrast, the
problems associated with prejudice and misconceptions are more prominent,
and it is thus less challenging to address. For example, any racist remark on
social media in Singapore receives plenty of exposure online. This makes it
easier for the authorities to address.
Prejudice and misconceptions (example)

While both are serious, prejudice and misconceptions are the more pressing
concerns to address. It is potentially a root cause restricting social mobility, as
certain groups may remain poor as a result of discrimination against them,
leading to a lack of opportunities to break out of their lower socio-economic
status. For example, in Myanmar, the Rohingyas had been discriminated
against for a very long time. This has led to them being unable to find
employment, thus resulting in them remaining poor for many generations. In
this instance, it is the prejudice that has led to a lack of social mobility.
*Note: A lot of students do not know what social mobility is
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A Teacher’s Guide for:

Secondary Three Social Studies

Picture by Mr Lawrence Pang

Developed by Mr Edwin Fu, Mr Abdul Rahim and Mr Tan Han Xiong

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

B ISSUE 1: EXPLORING CITIZENSHIP 6

C ISSUE 2: LIVING IN A DIVERSE 20

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

Issue 1: Exploring Citizenship and Governance

Overarching Inquiry Question: Working for the Good of Society: Whose

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

Overarching Inquiry Question: Is Harmony Achievable?

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

Chapter 1: What does it mean to be a citizen of my Country?

To be a citizen of a country is similar to being a member of a certain organisation

1.1 Rights of citizens

The rights that Singaporeans hold includes:

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

The responsibilities that are required of Singaporeans includes:

 Different countries emphasise different responsibilities by the citizens. For

How does one become a citizen in Singapore?

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

1.4 Conclusion: Defining citizenship

Nevertheless, the three key attributes of citizenship can be understood to be legal

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

2.1 Challenges in deciding what is good for society

2.1.1 Differing needs and interests

2.1.2 Differing priorities

 Citizens may also have disagreements on priorities. For example, although

2.1.3 Unequal sharing of costs

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

2.2.1 Understanding trade-offs

 A trade-off is a situation in which we must choose between or balance two

2.2.2 Decision-making in a Representative Democracy

Democracy is a self-governing system by the people for the people. In a

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

2.2.3 Managing conflicting demands

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

2.3.1 Having good leadership

2.3.2 Anticipating change and staying relevant

2.3.3 Providing a stake for everyone

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

2.3.4 Practising meritocracy

 Meritocracy refers to rewarding people according to their efforts and ability

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

3.1 Role of government in working for the good of society

3.1.1 Maintaining internal order and external security

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

3.1.2 Ensuring Justice

3.1.3 Providing goods and services for the public

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

3.1.4 Safeguarding interests of citizens

3.2 Role of Citizens in Society

3.2.1 Outcomes of Citizen participation

a. Contributing to the needs of society

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

b. Influencing governmental decisions

Role of formal and organised groups

© 2018 NCHS ı SOCIAL STUDIES – Teacher’s Copy

Role of informal groups

C. Strengthening citizens’ sense of belonging

Channels to provide feedback

Government decision making and policy formulation is a complex process as the